Melancholia is asteroid #5708 and also known as 1977 TC1. Melancholia was discovered by the Swiss astronomer Paul Wild at the Zimmerwald Observatory. Melancholia’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.18 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.21, a period of revolution of 1 176 days, and an inclination of 3.2 degrees.

The asteroid #5708 shows the difference between certain cultures. The English part of the Wikipedia quotes from the official citation only that Melancholia is one of the four humours. The French part of the Wikipedia quotes from the official citation only that astronomers feel melancholic when the sky is overcast. The official citation continues that sentence, so that astronomers get this feeling only if the situation continues over several weeks. The official citation also calls this feeling a gloom.

This is of course right. If you want to watch the stars, but can’t do this because there are too many clouds and this situation continues for weeks, then you could feel some melancholia. The name of this feeling, which is represented by the asteroid #5708, is indeed derived or rather adopted from one of the four humours of ancient Greek and medieval worldwide medicine. The four humours are usually represented by the Four Elements in medical astrology. Melancholia or black gall is represented by the Earth Element. The asteroid Melancholia was never needed when medieval astrologers made a medical diagnosis. So Melancholia mainly represents the feeling of melancholia and can additionally be used as an asteroid with a medical theme in order to secure a diagnosis. But it should only confirm. An asteroid certainly can’t be said to be able to overrule the classical rules of medical astrology.