(11942) Guettard Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 12 July 1993 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Jean-Étienne Guettard (1715-1786) was a French geologist and mineralogist. From the evidence of fossils found in the volcanic hills of the Puy de Dôme, in south-central France, he concluded correctly that they conflicted with the time scheme of the Old Testament.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #11, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Guettard is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Guettard is 2.80 au from the Sun and 3.74 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 11942 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 NV |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.34 km (#11,968 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.373 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.91 |
| Orbital period | 4.87 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.87 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.71 – 3.04 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0574 |
| Inclination | 0.806° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.69 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.