Cruithne was discovered on October 10, 1986, by Duncan Waldron on a photographic plate taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, Australia.
Cruithne bola objavená 10. októbra 1986 Duncanom Waldronom na fotografickej doske nasnímanej britským ďalekohľadom Schmidt v Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, v Austrálii.