It is composed of silicates and metallic nickel-iron, and may be the core remnant of a large asteroid that was destroyed by an ancient collision.

Lightcurve analysis indicates that the Metidian pole points towards either ecliptic coordinates (β, λ) = (23°, 181°) or (9°, 359°) with a 10° uncertainty.

[citation needed] Hubble Space Telescope images[18][19] and lightcurve analyses[17] are in agreement that Metis has an irregular elongated shape with one pointed and one broad end.

[17][19] Radar observations suggest the presence of a significant flat area,[20] in agreement with the shape model from lightcurves.

However, a spectroscopic analysis found strong spectral similarities between Metis and 113 Amalthea, and it is suggested that these asteroids may be remnants of a very old (at least ~1 Ga) dynamical family whose smaller members have been pulverised by collisions or perturbed away from the vicinity.

[9] Metis would be the relatively intact core remnant (though smaller than 16 Psyche), and Amalthea a fragment of the mantle, with 90% of the original body unaccounted for.