(486898) LaForge Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 8 March 2013 by Pan-STARRS 1 at Haleakala.
William N. LaForge (b. 1950) was president of Delta State University in Mississippi, USA, from 2013 to 2022. He took a great interest in the science departments, especially astronomy, and helped the planetarium become a symbol of the university. Name suggested by students from Delta State University.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 3, #6, 13), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where LaForge is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: LaForge is 3.10 au from the Sun and 2.28 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 486898 |
| Provisional designation | 2014 KF93 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.71 |
| Orbital period | 5.41 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.08 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 3.02 – 3.14 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0190 |
| Inclination | 9.75° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.05 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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