Focus On: (74) Galatea

Basics

Class: C-type asteroid
Location: Main belt
Orbit length (approx): 4.64 years
Discovered: 29th August 1862 (time unknown), from Marseille, France, by Ernst Wilhelm Tempel
Notes: Very dark in colour.
Events at time of discovery:

• August 22 – Birth of Claude Debussy, French composer
• August 24 – Birth of Zonia Baber, American geographer and geologist
• August 28-30 – American Civil War: Second Battle of Bull Run and Battle of Richmond, Kentucky.

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Naming information

Name origin: Greek – either a Nereid, or a mortal formed from a statue
Mythology: Galateia was one of the fifty Nereides and the goddess of calm seas, wooed by Polyphemos with music, milk and cheese. Her name means either "goddess of calm seas" from galênê and theia or "milky-white" from galaktos. Also a statue named Galatea was carved of ivory alabaster by Pygmalion of Cyprus, whom Aphrodite brought to life at his request after he fell in love with her.

Mosaic of Polyphemos and Galatea, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. Photo by Mathiasrex.

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Astrological data

Discovery degree: 2+ Aries
Discovery Sabian: The Cameo Profile of a Man, Suggesting the Shape of His Country
Discovery nodal signature: Libra-Taurus
Estimated orbital resonances: Venus 2:15, Earth 3:14, Mars 6:13, Ceres 1:1, Jupiter 18:7, Saturn 19:3, Chiron 11:1, Uranus 18:1
Discovery chart details: Galatea was conjunct Neptune, square Vesta and quincunx Juno. Mars semi-square Chiron. Juno trine Vesta; Pallas sextile the North Node. Not many aspects under one degree. Stellium in Virgo with Jupiter on the Libra point, fairly close to an opposition with Galatea.

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Summary and references

Meanings given so far include forming or reforming someone in one's own image, or defining what one wants^[1]; the idealised beloved or perfect match, love as inspiration, or destructive jealousy^[2]. May relate also to taking on independence and autonomy, originality, orderliness or enforced structure, devotion, skill or hard work.

References:
1) Mark Andrew Holmes: Galatea
2) TAKE Astrology: Asteroids in Astrology

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Noon discovery chart for (74) Galatea: 29th August 1862, Marseille, France.