It was discovered by the German astronomer Robert Luther on 13 August 1861, and named after Niobe, a character in Greek mythology.

In 1861, the brightness of this asteroid was shown to vary by astronomer Friedrich Tietjen.

[23] In 2006, it was examined by radar using the Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico.

The radar data produced an estimate of a maximum equatorial diameter of 94 km, which is consistent with earlier estimates based upon infrared data if the shape is assumed to be slightly elongated.

Six stellar occultations of this asteroid between 2004 and 2007 produced chords ranging from 13 to 72 km (8–45 mi), which are statistically consistent with the published maximum diameter estimates.