It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.4 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,200 days).

[1] It was first identified as 1988 XS4 at El Leoncito in 1988, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 9 years prior to its official discovery at Prescott.

[6] According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Kirkpatrick measures 17.8 and 3.611 kilometers in diameter, respectively.

[1] This minor planet was named after Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911–1984), an American musician, musicologist and harpsichordist.

[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 2 April 1999 (M.P.C.