180340

180340 is a minor planet in the asteroid belt, orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered on October 25, 1999, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project, a collaborative effort between the United States Air Force, NASA, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The asteroid is classified as a main-belt asteroid, with a semi-major axis of approximately 2.7 astronomical units (AU), a period of 4.5 years, and an eccentricity of 0.08. Its absolute magnitude is 15.6, indicating a diameter of about 2.5 kilometers. The asteroid's rotation period is estimated to be around 4.5 hours. 180340 has a relatively low albedo, suggesting a carbonaceous composition. It is named after the American astronomer and educator Carl Sagan, who is known for his contributions to the fields of astronomy, astrobiology, and science communication. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on March 1, 2005 (M.P.C. 54289).