238680

238680 is a numbered minor planet in the asteroid belt, designated as (238680). It was discovered on 15 December 2003 by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site in Socorro, New Mexico. The provisional designation assigned at the time of discovery was 2003 XJ12. No official name has been proposed for the asteroid, and it remains known only by its numerical designation.

The object orbits the Sun in the central region of the Main Asteroid Belt. Its semimajor axis is approximately 2.61 astronomical units, and its orbit has an eccentricity of about 0.17 and an inclination of roughly 7.5 degrees relative to the ecliptic. The orbital period is roughly 4.2 years. Observational data suggest a relatively small size, with a diameter estimated at 2.3 kilometers based on an assumed albedo of 0.15. Photometric studies carried out between 2005 and 2008 have yielded a lightcurve with a rotation period of about 5.9 hours and a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.18 magnitudes, indicating a modestly elongated shape.

238680 has been observed at multiple opposition epochs with telescopes at Cerro Tololo, the Kitt Peak National Observatory, and the Mauna Kea Observatories, allowing for a detailed determination of its orbital parameters. No unusual spectral features have been reported, and it is classified broadly as a C-type asteroid, though further spectroscopy is needed to confirm its composition.

The asteroid is listed in the Minor Planet Center database and is recovered in subsequent surveys, ensuring its orbit remains well determined. As of the current epoch, it has not been designated any proper name, and it continues to be monitored primarily for orbital improvement and occasional photometric monitoring.