104208

104208 is the numerical designation assigned to a minor planet, specifically an asteroid in the solar system. The number indicates that the object's orbit has been sufficiently well determined to warrant a permanent catalog entry by the Minor Planet Center (MPC). Like other numbered minor planets, 104208 is tracked in databases that record its orbital elements and observational history.

Discovery and designation details for 104208 are maintained by the MPC, which also records any provisional designation, discovery date, discovery site, and discoverers. Not all numbered minor planets have official names; if a name is assigned, it would be published in MPC records and related astronomical databases.

Orbit and physical characteristics are monitored and updated in public data repositories such as the JPL Small-Body Database. The orbital elements typically documented include the semi-major axis, eccentricity, inclination, and orbital period, while physical properties—such as diameter and albedo—are inferred from observations when available. For many objects, these measurements can be uncertain or incomplete.

In the broader context of solar system science, 104208 is part of the extensive population of small bodies that inform studies of planetary formation, orbital dynamics, and collisional history. The asteroid pool, including objects like 104208, provides data used to model the distribution and evolution of material in the early solar system.

References: Minor Planet Center; JPL Small-Body Database.