Penelope is asteroid #201 and also known as A869 GA. Penelope’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.68 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.18, a period of revolution of 1 603 days, and an inclination of 5.8 degrees. Penelope is of the type M. Penelope was discovered by the Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Austrian Naval Observatory.

Penelope is named after Pēnelópeia (Πηνελόπεια), the wife of Odysseus from Greek mythology. Pēnelópeia (Πηνελόπεια) was a princess of Sparta and Odysseus had to win a race to the purpose to win her. From then on she has been known for her fidelity to her husband Odysseus, despite the attention of one-hundred-and-eight suitors during the twenty years of Odysseus’ absence. She repeatedly delays her remarriage with different cunning strategies. At last she wishes that the suitor, who she would choose, has to shoot an arrow through the holes of twelve axe-heads. Odysseus’ bow has to be used for this, but not one of the suitors is able to string the bow. When Odysseus returned, Eurýkleia (Εὐρύκλεια) informed him about everything. So Odysseus in disguise had lined up together with the suitors, stringed the bow, shot an arrow through the holes in the twelve lined-up axe-heads and then proceeded to kill the suitors by shooting them with his bow and arrows. A lost and later reconstructed epic poem, known as Telegony, describes that Odysseus had a son with Kírkē (Κίρκη), after whom the asteroid Circe is named, and this son, Telegonos (Τηλέγονος), once became a castaway, killed cattle to feed himself, and thus, without knowing were he was or whom he met, faced Odysseus in a battle over some cattle, which were Odysseus’ property. Telegonos (Τηλέγονος) fights with a divine weapon and so kills Odysseus. Then Telegonos (Τηλέγονος) marries Pēnelópeia (Πηνελόπεια), who this time knows that Odysseus really passed away, and Kírkē (Κίρκη) grants her immortality.

Pēnelópeia (Πηνελόπεια) had during the many centuries previous to naming the asteroid Penelope been known under the name Penelope and as the representative of marital fidelity. I don’t see a reason to contradict, whether she enjoyed playing with her suitors, like some people claim, or not. So Penelope represents marital fidelity.