C/1945 X1 (du Toit)

C/1945 X1 (du Toit)
Discovery
Discovered byDaniel du Toit
Discovery siteBloemfontein, South Africa
Discovery date11 December 1945
Designations
1945 VII, 1945g
Orbital characteristics
Epoch29 December 1945 (JD 2431817.4652)
Observation arc4 days (short arc)
Number of
observations
4
(small sample size)
Orbit typeKreutz sungrazer
Perihelion0.00752 AU (1.62 R)
Eccentricity1.0 (assumed)
Max. orbital speed489 km/s
Inclination141.87°
351.20°
Argument of
periapsis
72.062°
Last perihelion27 December 1945
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
0.6 km (0.37 mi)
Mass3.90×1014 kg
7.0
(1945 apparition)

Comet du Toit, formal designation C/1945 X1, is a sungrazing comet that was observed four times by South African astronomer, Daniel du Toit, on December 1945. The comet is a member of the Kreutz sungrazer family. It passed about 400,000 km (250,000 mi) from the surface of the Sun.