12 Victoria

It was discovered by J. R. Hind on September 13, 1850.

Victoria is officially named after the Roman goddess of victory, but the name also honours Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The goddess Victoria (Nike for the Greeks) was the daughter of Styx by the Titan Pallas. The coincidence with the then-reigning queen's name caused quite a controversy at the time, and B. A. Gould, editor of the prestigious Astronomical Journal, adopted the alternate name Clio (now used by 84 Klio), proposed by the discoverer. However, W. C. Bond, of the Harvard College Observatory, then the highest authority on astronomy in America, held that the mythological condition was fulfilled and the name therefore acceptable, and his opinion eventually prevailed.

Radar and speckle interferometry observations show that the shape of Victoria is elongated, and it is suspected to be a binary asteroid. [1]

Victoria has been observed to occult stars 3 times.