(44473) Randytatum Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 November 1998 by CSS at Catalina.
Randy Tatum (b. 1956) is an avid observer with the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and has served as Assistant Coordinator for the Jupiter and Solar Sections of the ALPO as well as full Solar Coordinator from 1993-96. He is the 2016 recipient of the ALPO Haas Award for his prolific and expert observing.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-10-05), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Randytatum is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Randytatum is 2.78 au from the Sun and 2.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 44473 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 WB |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 12.2 km (#3,989 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0460 |
| Rotation period | 5.17 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.71 |
| Orbital period | 5.55 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.14 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.75 – 3.52 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.122 |
| Inclination | 22.6° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.87 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Randy
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- (14114) Randyray
- (29886) Randytung
- (232553) Randypeterson
- (260235) Attwood
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All asteroids named after someone called Randy