(10653) Witsen Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 September 1960 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.
Nicolaas Witsen (1641-1717) was a Dutch lawyer, politician, scientist, graphic artist, collector, author and cartographer. He also was mayor of the city of Amsterdam and governor of the Dutch East India Company, beginning in 1693. In this capacity he initiated research on people, flora and fauna in Asia.Naming citation (20021120/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Witsen is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Witsen is 3.69 au from the Sun and 4.59 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 10653 |
| Provisional designation | 6030 P-L |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.52 |
| Orbital period | 6.99 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.66 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 3.61 – 3.71 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0135 |
| Inclination | 3.31° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.61 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Nicolaas
All asteroids named after someone called Nicolaas
Also discovered on 24 September 1960
- (1743) Schmidt
- (1744) Harriet
- (1776) Kuiper
- (1777) Gehrels
- (1795) Woltjer
- (1808) Bellerophon
- (1809) Prometheus
- (1810) Epimetheus
- (1811) Bruwer
- (1812) Gilgamesh
- (1846) Bengt
- (1868) Thersites