Whitaker-Thomas is a comet in the Parabolic comet orbit class. Its closest approach to the Sun is 1.23 AU. Orbit from the JPL solution of 15 April 2021.
Orbital elements
- Eccentricity
- 1
- Inclination
- 61.77°
- Perihelion
- 1.234 AU
- Longitude of ascending node
- 254.72°
- Argument of periapsis
- 353.98°
- Epoch · J2000
- JD 2440012.00486 (perihelion)
- Orbit class · PAR
- Parabolic comet
- Earth MOID · 86.4 LD
- 0.2221 AU
Orbit quality
- Observations used
- 23
- Data arc
- 39 days
- First observed
- 17 June 1968
- Last observed
- 26 July 1968
- Residual RMS
- 0.87 ″
- Solution · Otto Matic
- 15 April 2021
Visual & observation
- Absolute magnitude (H)
- 11.9
- Total magnitude M₁ · K₁ 4.5
- 11.9
Discovery & classification
Also known as 1968 L1
Named
Sources
- visual properties: JPL SBDB (lookup)
- visual properties: JPL SBDB (lookup)
- orbital elements: JPL SBDB