▁by ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁Near - E arth ▁Ast ero id ▁Research ▁team ▁at ▁Lincoln ▁Labor atory ' s ▁Ex perimental ▁Test ▁Site ▁in ▁Soc or ro , ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁named ▁after ▁DC Y SC - ment or ▁Man etta ▁Cal inger . ▁ ▁Classification ▁and ▁orbit ▁▁ ▁Cal inger ▁is ▁a ▁non - family ▁astero id ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁bel t ' s ▁background ▁population . ▁It ▁or bits ▁the ▁Sun ▁in ▁the ▁inner ▁astero id ▁bel t ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 1 . 9 – 2 . 7   AU ▁once ▁every ▁ 3 ▁years ▁and ▁ 5 ▁months ▁( 1 , 2 6 0 ▁days ). ▁Its ▁orbit ▁has ▁an ▁ecc ent ric ity ▁of ▁ 0 . 1 8 ▁and ▁an ▁incl ination ▁of ▁ 8 ° ▁with ▁respect ▁to ▁the ▁e cli ptic . ▁ ▁The ▁body ' s ▁observation ▁arc ▁begins ▁almost ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁its ▁official ▁discovery ▁observation , ▁with ▁a ▁prec overy ▁from ▁the ▁Dig it ized ▁Sky ▁Survey ▁taken ▁at ▁Pal om ar ▁Observ atory ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁characteristics ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁surve ys ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁Inf ra red ▁Astronom ical ▁Sat ellite ▁IR AS , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Ak ari ▁satellite , ▁and ▁NASA ' s ▁W ide - field ▁Inf ra red ▁Survey ▁Explorer ▁with ▁its ▁subsequent ▁NE OW I SE ▁mission , ▁Cal inger ▁measures ▁ 3 . 2 7 2 ▁kilom eters ▁in