106 Dione

106 Dione is a large main-belt asteroid. It probably has a composition similar to 1 Ceres. It was discovered by J. C. Watson on October 10, 1868, and named after Dione, a Titaness in Greek mythology who was sometimes said to have been the mother of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is listed as a member of the Hecuba group of asteroids that orbit near the 2:1 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. The orbital period for this object is 5.66 years and it has an eccentricity of 0.17.
Measurements made with the IRAS observatory give a diameter of and a geometric albedo of. By comparison, the MIPS photometer on the Spitzer Space Telescope gives a diameter of and a geometric albedo of. Dione was observed to occult a dim star on January 19, 1983, by observers in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. A diameter of was deduced, closely matching the value acquired by the IRAS satellite. As of 2012, the mean diameter derived through occultation measurements is.
Photometric observations of this asteroid collected during 2004–2005 show a rotation period of hours with a brightness variation of magnitude. It is classified as a rare G-type asteroid, suggesting it has a carbonaceous composition with phyllosilicate minerals also being detected.