(10602) Masakazu Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 October 1996 by S. Otomo at Kiyosato.
Masakazu Kusakabe (b. 1946) is a ceramic artist, best known for his design of the Smokeless Wood Fire Kiln.Naming citation (20111210/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Masakazu is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Masakazu is 2.15 au from the Sun and 1.71 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 10602 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 UG3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.59 km (#7,019 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.307 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.84 |
| Orbital period | 4.36 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.67 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.14 – 3.20 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.200 |
| Inclination | 13.3° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.17 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.