It was discovered by Johann Palisa on February 17, 1879, at Pula, then in Austria, now in Croatia.

[5] Based on the lightcurve data obtained from Nausikaa, a possible satellite was reported in 1985.

[6] A shape model of Nausikaa has been constructed, also based on the lightcurve data.

In 1988 a search for satellites or dust orbiting this asteroid was performed using the UH88 telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories, but the effort came up empty.

[8] Nausikaa's orbital period is 3.72 years, its distance from the Sun varying between 1.81 and 2.99 AU.