Trojan asteroid

British

noun

one of a number of asteroids that have the same mean motion and orbit as Jupiter, preceding or following the planet by a longitude of 60°

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2020, astronomers thought they’d found something incredible: the second so-called Earth Trojan asteroid ever seen.

From Scientific American • Feb. 2, 2022

“As we are flying past a Trojan asteroid, we are taking data,” Olkin said.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2021

An artistic rendering of the Trojan asteroid swarms, with one clump ahead of Jupiter and another clump trailing Jupiter.

From The Verge • Oct. 15, 2021

Among its other discoveries, in 2011 Wise spotted in a "Trojan" asteroid ahead of the Earth in its orbit.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2012

Just last week, astronomers announced the discovery of a Trojan asteroid leading the Earth around the sun.

From Time • Aug. 3, 2011

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023