Dora is asteroid #668 and also known as 1908 DO. Dora was discovered by August Kopff at Heidelberg-Königstuhl. Dora is a carbonaceous asteroid of the type Ch and Dora’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.79 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.24, a period of revolution of 1 706 days, and an inclination of 6.8 degrees. These features are important because Dora is the head of a Hirayama-family, that of course shares her name.

Dora is named after a friend of the wife of the discoverer. The name could also be inspired by the asteroid designation 1908 DO. The principle knowing somebody, who knows somebody, doesn’t help to clarify the meaning of the asteroid. Looking at the origin of the name Dora is all what is possible. Dora is a shortening of the Greek name Dorothea, that means a gift from God. Dora also is the Albanian word for hand. Hence the meaning can only be a little piece of really good luck and Dora of course represents persons named Dora. Maybe indicating that a child was really wanted can be a task of Dora too.