Located near Planet Q and Benecia, Cygnia Minor was an inhabited planet and site of a Federation colony.

In 2266, this colony was facing the threat of famine. Doctor Thomas Leighton, a scientist living in a colony on the nearby Planet Q, sent a signal to the starship Enterprise, claiming to have discovered an extraordinary new synthetic food which would end the crisis on Cygnia Minor. It was soon discovered, however, that Leighton had lied about the discovery in order to lure the Enterprise to Planet Q to convince Captain Kirk that he had found Kodos the Executioner. (TOS: "The Conscience of the King")