(20686) Thottumkara Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 4 November 1999 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Arun Thottumkara (b. 1986) was awarded first place and Best in Category in the 2004 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Macomb High School, Macomb, Illinois, U.S.A.Naming citation (20041226/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Thottumkara is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Thottumkara is 2.02 au from the Sun and 2.89 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20686 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 VX54 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Rotation period | 15.2 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.11 |
| Orbital period | 3.58 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.34 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.99 – 2.70 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.152 |
| Inclination | 0.777° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.982 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Arun
All asteroids named after someone called Arun
Also discovered on 4 November 1999
- (13434) Adamquade
- (13435) Rohret
- (13825) Booth
- (16102) Barshannon
- (20687) Saletore
- (20688) Sandroricardo
- (20689) Zhuyuanchen
- (20690) Crivello
- (21924) Alyssaovaitt
- (21925) Supasternak
- (21926) Jacobperry
- (21927) Sarahpierz