17296

17296 is a numbered minor planet (asteroid) located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The object was first observed on 10 March 1999 by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey at the White Sands Missile Range observatory in New Mexico, and subsequently confirmed by follow‑up observations by professional and amateur astronomers. It was officially assigned the permanent designation 17296 in 2003 after its orbit was sufficiently well determined.

Like most asteroids in the main belt, 17296 follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, with a semi‑major axis of approximately 2.7 astronomical units. The orbit has a moderate eccentricity of about 0.12 and a moderate inclination of roughly 7 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. The orbital period is roughly 4.4 Earth years, meaning it completes one full revolution around the Sun each 1,610 days. Its perihelion distance is around 2.37 AU and its aphelion distance is about 3.03 AU.

Physical parameters derived from photometric observations suggest a diameter in the range of 10 to 15 kilometers, depending on the assumed albedo. The spectral type has not been conclusively determined, though observations imply a possible C‑type (carbonaceous) classification, common among asteroids at this distance. No satellites or significant outgassing have been detected, and the body is thought to be relatively undifferentiated with a composition similar to other dark asteroids.

No major spacecraft has visited 17296, but it remains a target for future stellar occultation observations that might refine its size and shape. The minor planet is catalogued in several astronomical databases, including the JPL Small‑Body Database and the Minor Planet Center, where researchers can access its orbital elements, observation history, and any derived physical properties.