(20031) Lakehead Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 27 July 1992 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.
In the early 20th century, this name described Fort William and Port Arthur in northwestern Ontario, because the twin cities were located at the head of Lake Superior. Significant because grain from the Canadian prairies was brought by rail to ships there, the cities merged in 1970 under the name Thunder Bay. It is still often referred to as the Lakehead.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #2, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Lakehead is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Lakehead is 2.75 au from the Sun and 3.45 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20031 |
| Provisional designation | 1992 OO |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.56 km (#11,512 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.346 |
| Rotation period | 10.8 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.64 |
| Orbital period | 3.59 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.34 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.92 – 2.76 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.179 |
| Inclination | 25.8° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.915 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.