(21284) Pandion Jupiter Trojan
Discovered on 5 October 1996 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Pandion was a Greek fighter who helped Menestheus, the leader of the Athenian soldiers, to escape from the attack by Sarpedon.Naming citation (20100527/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Pandion is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Pandion is 5.74 au from the Sun and 6.68 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 21284 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 TC51 |
| Orbit class | Jupiter Trojan |
| Diameter | 28.6 km (#1,445 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0650 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.55 |
| Orbital period | 11.9 years |
| Semi-major axis | 5.22 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 4.69 – 5.74 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.101 |
| Inclination | 7.04° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 3.69 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 5 October 1996
- (8725) Keiko
- (13185) Agasthenes
- (19303) Chinacyo
- (19304) Yoshidaseiko
- (20150) Changshuhong
- (20151) Utsunomiya
- (20158) Allton
- (35283) Bradtimerson
- (79333) Yusaku