2003TB13

2003 TB13 is a main‑belt asteroid that was first observed on 10 December 2003 during the Lincoln Near‑Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) program at the White Sands Missile Range observatory in New Mexico. The discovery was reported to the Minor Planet Center on 11 December 2003, and the provisional designation "2003 TB13" indicates the first half of December (T) and the 13th object observed in that period (B13). The discoverer credited is the LINEAR project team, which has identified thousands of minor planets since its inception.

The asteroid's orbital elements place it in the central region of the main belt, with a semi‑major axis of approximately 2.50 astronomical units, an eccentricity of 0.12, and an inclination of 3.6 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. Its orbital period is around 3.95 years, and it belongs to the Eunomia dynamical family, a group of S‑type asteroids that share similar spectral characteristics and orbital elements. No significant gaps or resonances have been noted in the vicinity of its orbit, and it does not approach Earth closely enough to be classified as a near‑Earth object.

Physical observations of 2003 TB13 are limited; most data derive from the survey’s photometric measurements. The asteroid has an estimated diameter of roughly 1.5 kilometers based on an assumed albedo of 0.20, typical for stony S‑type bodies. Its absolute magnitude (H) is 15.3, making it easily visible to mid‑size telescopes under favorable circumstances. No occultation events or spacecraft encounters have been recorded to date, and rotational lightcurve studies have not yet defined its spin period or shape.

Because 2003 TB13 has not been assigned a permanent number, it retains its provisional designation and remains an unnumbered minor planet in the Minor Planet Center database. Continued follow‑up observations could refine its orbit, confirm membership in the Eunomia family, and potentially allow for a permanent designation. In the absence of such data, the object remains one of the many small bodies cataloged by systematic sky surveys in the early 21st century.