(5986) Xenophon Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 October 1969 by P. Wild at Zimmerwald.
Named for the Athenian nobleman, pupil and interpreter of Socrates, historian, agriculturist, and military officer who lived from about 440 to 354 B.C. Because of his support of Spartan culture and politics he was exiled from Athens. He participated in a military expedition against the Persian king Artaxerxes and, after his defeat near Babylon in 401 B.C., he prevailed to lead the army of 10 000 Greek mercenaries safely home through the mountains of Asia Minor, a great feat described in his famous book Anabasis.Naming citation (19990402/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Xenophon is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Xenophon is 2.50 au from the Sun and 3.49 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5986 |
| Provisional designation | 1969 TA |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.21 km (#6,385 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.199 |
| Rotation period | 6.92 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.06 |
| Orbital period | 3.65 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.37 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.08 – 2.66 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.121 |
| Inclination | 7.45° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.09 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.