36P/Whipple

36P/Whipple
Discovery
Discovered byFred Lawrence Whipple
Discovery dateOctober 15, 1933
Designations
1926 VIII; 1933 IV; 1941 III;
1948 VI; 1955 VIII; 1963 II;
1970 XIV; 1978 VIII; 1986 XII;
1994 XXXII
Orbital characteristics
EpochMarch 6, 2006
Aphelion5.241 AU
Perihelion3.089 AU
Semi-major axis4.165 AU
Eccentricity0.2583
Orbital period8.501 a
Inclination9.9345°
Last perihelionMay 31, 2020
December 30, 2011
July 6, 2003
Next perihelion2028-Nov-04

36P/Whipple is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It is the lowest numbered Quasi-Hilda comet. It passed 0.25 AU (37 million km) from Jupiter in June 1922.

The comet nucleus is estimated to be 4.5 kilometers in diameter or 5.1 kilometers. The rotational period was estimated to be about 40 hours.