259268

259268 is a minor planet located in the central region of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered on 9 February 2001 by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico. The discovery was confirmed by follow-up observations from the Uppsala Southern Observatory, which established its orbit with a well-determined uncertainty parameter of 0. Data from the Minor Planet Center were used to compute its orbital elements.

The asteroid orbits the Sun with a semi‑major axis of approximately 2.68 astronomical units, an eccentricity of 0.14, and an inclination of about 12 degrees relative to the ecliptic. Its orbital period is roughly five and a half Earth years. Based on its absolute magnitude of 15.2, the estimated diameter of 259268 lies in the range of 4 to 7 kilometers, assuming a typical albedo for S‑type asteroids. The rotation period has not yet been determined through light‑curve analysis, and spectral classification remains incomplete.

259268 has not been given a permanent name; it is listed only by its provisional designation in the MPC catalog. No impact risk or significant perturbation in its orbit has been identified as of the latest JPL Horizons data. The body is monitored as part of the ongoing effort to catalogue and catalogue the population of main-belt objects, providing insights into the composition and dynamical evolution of the solar system.

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