[4] According to the surveys carried out by NASA's space-based Spitzer and WISE telescopes, the asteroid measures between 4.2 and 4.8 kilometers in diameter and has a surface albedo of 0.17 to 0.39.
The lightcurves gave a rotation period of 2.531–2.533 hours (U=3) with an exceptionally low brightness amplitude of less than 0.01 in magnitude, indicating that the body has a nearly spheroidal shape.
[12][14][15] In 2004, a team of astronomers at ESO's Very Large Telescope, Chile, announced that Pauling is orbited by a small asteroid moon.
[5] This minor planet is named in honor of the American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, educator, and multiple Nobel laureate Linus Pauling (1901–1994).
Pauling had a renowned and several decade long career at Caltech, and was leading its Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.