Leda is asteroid #38 and of the type C or Cgh. Leda was discovered by the French astronomer Jean Chacornac while he worked in Paris. Leda’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.74 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.15, a period of revolution of 1 658 days, and an inclination of 7.0 degrees.

Leda is named after Lḗda (Λήδα) from Greek mythology. Lḗda (Λήδα) was an Aetolian princess and became a Spartan queen. Who was her mother isn’t clear, several names have been suggested. Lḗda (Λήδα) became queen by marrying King Tyndareus/ Tundareos (Τυνδάρεος) of Sparta. Lḗda (Λήδα) became the mother of Helen of Troy, Klytaimnēstra (Κλυταιμνήστρα), Castor and Pollux. Lḗda (Λήδα) had three more, but less famous daughters by King Tyndareus/ Tundareos (Τυνδάρεος). Lḗda (Λήδα) got seduced by Zeús (Ζεύς), so some of the four children, whose names are mentioned here, are children of Zeús (Ζεύς). Who isn’t clear because Lḗda (Λήδα) conceived these four children in the same night. They hatched from eggs, which Lḗda (Λήδα) laid because Zeús (Ζεύς) did seduce her in the shape of a swan.

Helen of Troy is rather sure the daughter of Zeús (Ζεύς), Pollux probably is a son of Zeús (Ζεύς). But in order to keep this unclear sometimes Castor and Pollux are both called mortal and sometimes they are both called immortal. Castor and Pollux are the twins, who are the constellation Gemini. If only one of them is immortal, then this is Pollux, while Castor is mortal. The constellation Cygnus also is associated with the tale of Leda because Zeús (Ζεύς) had the shape of a swan, but there are many better suggestions for tales describing Cygnus. Némesis (Νέμεσις) also is claimed to be the mother of Helen of Troy. In this case Zeús (Ζεύς) seduced, again as a swan, Némesis (Νέμεσις), who had turned into a goose. She then gave the egg, which she laid, to Lḗda (Λήδα) or placed it carelessly somewhere and a shepherd found it until a girl hatched from it, then the shepherd gave the girl to Lḗda (Λήδα), who then adopted Helen as her child.

Lḗda (Λήδα) with the swan is a popular motif in arts. But the artists and admirers are short with interpretations of this motif. How can a human woman have a child from a swan? Lḗda (Λήδα) also was married, but the cheating never got a topic. This all is quite strange. I found only one interpretation and this is claiming that swans are monogamous, so the swan symbolizes loyalty and faithfulness and hence Lḗda (Λήδα) must be a loyal woman. Although she cheated on her husband. The interpretation is ignoring this part. Her husband also seems to have never wondered that Lḗda (Λήδα) was laying eggs. Not any part fits to the other in this tale, although Lḗda (Λήδα) is important for connecting the different tales of Greek mythology with each other. So Leda seems to mean joining together what doesn’t belong together. Leda could also represent a wrong choice, especially for a relationship.