40978

40978 is an asteroid located in the outer region of the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered in 1960 by the Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh and given the provisional designation 1960 TA. The asteroid is named after its official designation in the Minor Planet Center's catalog of minor planets.

40978 has a slightly eccentric orbit that takes it as close as 2.2 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and as far as 3.2 AU from the Sun. An astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. One AU is equal to approximately 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). The asteroid's orbital period is approximately 5.6 years.

The asteroid's size is estimated to be approximately 4 kilometers in diameter, although the exact size is uncertain. The asteroid's albedo, or reflection coefficient, is estimated to be about 0.1, indicating that it is a relatively dark object.

Observations of the asteroid's behavior suggest that it is a primitive, C-type asteroid, meaning that it is composed primarily of carbon-based materials such as water, ammonia, and organic compounds. These types of asteroids are thought to be remnants from the early solar system and may provide insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system.

Further study of the asteroid's orbit and composition may help astronomers better understand its origins and provide valuable information about the early solar system.