Discovered during the Palomar–Leiden survey in 1960, it was given the provisional designation 2522 P-L and named after Prometheus from Greek mythology.

[3] Prometheus orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.6–3.2 AU once every 5.00 years (1,827 days).

[1] It was discovered on 24 September 1960, by the Dutch astronomer couple Ingrid and Cornelis Johannes van Houten at Leiden, on photographic plates taken by Dutch–American astronomer Tom Gehrels at Palomar, California, in the United States.

[6] On the same night, the team of astronomers discovered several other minor planets including 1810 Epimetheus.

[7] This minor planet was named for Prometheus, a Titan from Greek mythology, who stole the fire from the gods.