18559

18559 is a minor planet in the asteroid belt, discovered on October 16, 1977, by the American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California. It is named after the year of its discovery, 1977. The asteroid has a diameter of approximately 10 kilometers and orbits the Sun with a period of about 5.5 Earth years. Its orbit is moderately eccentric and inclined, with an average distance from the Sun of about 3.1 astronomical units. 18559 is classified as a main-belt asteroid, a group of asteroids that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It is part of the Flora family, a large group of asteroids that share similar orbital elements and are thought to have originated from a single parent body. The asteroid's spectral type is S, indicating a stony composition. 18559 has not been visited by any spacecraft, and its surface features and composition remain largely unknown. However, its orbit and spectral characteristics provide valuable insights into the dynamics and composition of the asteroid belt.