[3] Wanda was discovered on its first recorded observation on 16 August 1925, by Soviet astronomer Grigory Shajn at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula.
[3][14] Three rotational lightcurves of Wanda have been obtained from photometric observations by astronomers Eric Barbotin (2004), Donald Pray (2004), Richard Binzel (1984), respectively (U=1/2/2).
[11][12][13] The consolidated lightcurve analysis gave a longer-than average rotation period of 28.8 hours with a brightness amplitude between 0.14 and 0.41 magnitude (U=2).
[5][6][7][8][9][10] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0415 and a diameter of 40.41 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.04.
Another interpretation of the asteroid's name is derived from mythology and ancient Polish annals, and refers to the legendary daughter of Krak, Wanda, who founded the city of Kraków (AN 229, 279).