Liaoning is asteroid #2503 and also known as 1965 UB₁. Liaoning was discovered “by” (as if self-operating) the Purple Mountain Observatory (so most likely by an unknown astronomer) or Zĭjīnshān-Tiānwéntái (紫金山天文台) at Nánjīng (南京), Jiāngsū (江蘇 / 江苏), People’s Republic of China. Liaoning’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.19 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.21, a period of revolution of 1 187 days, and an inclination of 7.1 degrees.

Liaoning is named after the Chinese province Liáoníng (traditional: 遼寧 / simplified: 辽宁). The province historically was called Fèngtiān (奉天). It was named Liáoníng (遼寧) in 1929. The province is bordered by the Yellow Sea in the south, by North Korea in the southeast, by the Chinese province Jílín (吉林) in the northeast, by the Chinese province Héběi (河北) in the west, and by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the northwest. Shěnyáng (沈阳) is the name of the capital of Liáoníng (遼寧) Province. Because the province is bordered by the Yellow Sea in the south, so there is some tourism. But Liáoníng (辽宁) Province mainly is the Chinese center for building ships and cars. The province also is a main source of natural gas, crude oil, coal, iron, and some minerals.

The Chinese word níng (宁) means peaceful. The Chinese word liáo (辽) means long, prolonged. So the name Liáoníng (辽宁) obviously expresses the wish that the province discontinues its war-stricken history and turns into a peaceful place instead.

Liaoning is a place name asteroid and refers as such to a certain Chinese province. While other place name asteroids, especially those with Chinese names, can also hint to certain topographies, Liaoning can instead be grouped together with asteroids like Pax or Irene. Their common theme is peace. Pax hints to the preconditions of peace. Irene indicates that you can make use of living in peace as a lucky circumstance. Liaoning indicates the wish for peace or for continuing peace.