3368

3368 is a numbered minor planet in the main asteroid belt, officially designated as (3368). It was discovered on 28 February 1982 by astronomer Edward Bowell at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. The asteroid follows a nearly circular, stony orbit between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, with a semimajor axis of approximately 2.4 astronomical units and an eccentricity of about 0.12. Its orbital period is roughly 3.7 Earth years. The inclination of its orbit relative to the ecliptic plane is around 3 degrees, indicating a relatively flat trajectory in the belt.

Spectral analysis classifies 3368 as an S-type asteroid, suggesting a composition rich in silicate minerals and iron-peak metals. Estimates derived from its absolute magnitude and assumed albedo give a diameter of roughly 9 to 10 kilometers, although more precise size determinations require infrared observations. The asteroid’s rotation period, determined from photometric light curves, is approximately 13 hours with a modest brightness variation indicating a somewhat elongated shape.

In 1995 the International Astronomical Union honored a notable contributor to planetary science by naming the asteroid after Dr. Margaret E. Smith, a geologist who pioneered remote sensing techniques for asteroid surface studies. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center in the 2000 issue of the Minor Planet Circulars. 3368, like many of its neighbors, provides valuable insight into the early Solar System, serving as a relic of planetary accretion processes and collisional evolution. Researchers continue to monitor its orbit and physical properties to refine models of main-belt dynamics and asteroid composition.