An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A member of the family of asteroids that share → Jupiter’s orbit and lie in elongated, curved regions around the two → Lagrangian points 60° ahead and behind of Jupiter. The Lagrangian points L4 and L5 host several thousands of them. Originally, the term Trojan applied only to asteroids sharing Jupiter’s orbit; however, planetoidal bodies have been discovered at the Lagrangian points of Mars and Neptune as well, and are also referred to as → Mars Trojans and Neptune Trojans respectively.

Etymology (EN): M.E.; O.E. Troian, from Trojanus, from Troj(a) “Troy”

• -anus; → asteroid.

Etymology (PE): Sayyârakhâ plural of sayyârak, → asteroid; Troâ-yi adj. of Troâ “Troy.”