Karl Schwarzschild Observatory
"Van Flandern" is a member of the Phocaea family (), a family of stony asteroids with similar orbital characteristics. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,303 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 24° with respect to the ecliptic. The asteroid's observation arc begins 11 years prior to its official discovery observation, with its identification as at the Karl Schwarzschild Observatory in February 1975.