It was discovered on 4 June 1900, by astronomers Max Wolf and Arnold Schwassmann at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany.
[12][13][a] Analysis of the best-rated lightcurve from the Bigmuskie Observatory (B88) in Italy, gave a rotation period of 18.281 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.32 magnitude (U=3).
[14] According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Abnoba measures between 37.64 and 50.495 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.1467 and 0.286.
[6][7][8][10][11] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.2537 and a diameter of 39.94 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 9.1.
The goddess was worshipped in the Black Forest of southern Germany, and known as "Diana Abnoba" to the Roman troops stationed in this region.