Calinger is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.9–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,260 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 8° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Calinger measures 3.272 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a high albedo of 0.314.[3] It has an absolute magnitude of 14.1.[1]
This minor planet was named after Manetta Calinger who mentored a finalist in the 2003 Discovery Channel Youth Science Challenge, DCYSC.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 10 October 2003 (M.P.C. 49772).[6]