532037 Chiminigagua
A large scattered-disc object with a moon, possibly a dwarf planet.
532037 Chiminigagua, originally designated 2013 FY27, is a large object in the scattered disc region of the outer Solar System. It was discovered on 17 March 2013 by astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo using the 4.0-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. The discovery was announced on 31 March 2014. The object was named after Chiminigagua, the creator god of the Muisca people of Colombia, a figure associated with light and creation. Its permanent number, 532037, was assigned on 18 May 2019.
Chiminigagua has an estimated diameter of about 740 kilometers, with a possible range of 660 to 820 kilometers based on thermal measurements from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. This size places it in the category of "mid-sized" trans-Neptunian objects, between 400 and 1,000 kilometers across. Some astronomers, including Scott Sheppard, Emily Lakdawalla, and Michael E. Brown, consider it a likely dwarf planet. Its absolute magnitude of 3.15 makes it the ninth brightest trans-Neptunian object known as of 2025.
The object orbits the Sun at an average distance of 58.9 astronomical units, following a highly tilted and elliptical path. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.39 and an inclination of 33.1 degrees. It takes about 450 years to complete one orbit, ranging from 35.6 AU at perihelion to 82.0 AU at aphelion. Surface temperatures vary greatly over this orbit, from about 22 Kelvin at perihelion to 16 Kelvin at aphelion. Chiminigagua belongs to the scattered disc, a population of objects whose orbits are strongly influenced by Neptune's gravity. It passed aphelion in 1978 and is now moving closer to the Sun, with its next perihelion expected around 2202.
Chiminigagua has a moderately red surface, a common trait among trans-Neptunian objects. This color suggests an old, ice-poor surface that has been darkened by cosmic rays and micrometeoroid impacts. The object has one known moon, about 190 kilometers in diameter, which is thought to have formed from a giant impact. The moon's orbit has not yet been determined, so the mass and density of Chiminigagua remain unknown. Hubble Space Telescope observations planned for late 2025 and early 2026 are expected to measure these properties, which could help test theories about the interiors of mid-sized trans-Neptunian objects.
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Discovered
- 17 March 2013
- Discoverer
- Scott S. Sheppard · Chad Trujillo
- Discovery Site
- Cerro Tololo Obs. (DECam)
- Mpc Name
- (532037) Chiminigagua
- Pronounced
- ˌ · ʃ · ɪ · m · ɪ · n · i · ˈ · ɡ · ɑː · ɡ · w · @ or ˌ · tʃ · ɪ · - (with the PASTA vowel)
- Named After
- Chiminigagua
- Mp Category
- TNO · SDO · distant
- Epoch
- 25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 3 or 4
- Observation Arc
- 13.94 yr (5,093 d)
- Earliest Precovery Date
- 15 March 2011
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Chiminigagua was discovered on 17 March 2013 by Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo using the 4.0-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope's Dark Energy Camera at Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. It was reobserved from May 2013 to March 2014, and its discovery was announced on 31 March 2014. The object is named after Chiminigagua, the creator god of the Muisca people of Colombia, following the IAU's naming theme of mythological creation figures for trans-Neptunian objects. It received the permanent catalog number 532037 on 18 May 2019.
Chiminigagua has a moderately red color, suggesting an old, ice-poor surface dulled by cosmic rays and micrometeoroid bombardment. Its rotation period is unknown, but brightness observations in 2016 showed no obvious variability. It has one unnamed moon, discovered on 15 January 2018 by Scott Sheppard using the Hubble Space Telescope. The moon is about 190 km in diameter and is believed to have formed from a giant impact on Chiminigagua. The moon's orbit is edge-on from Earth and its details are unknown, though Hubble observations in December 2025 and January 2026 aim to determine it.
Reader's Guide
Chiminigagua is significant as a large trans-Neptunian object in the scattered disc, with a diameter of about 740 km that places it in the proposed class of 'mid-sized' TNOs between 400 and 1,000 km. Some astronomers, including Scott Sheppard, Emily Lakdawalla, and Michael E. Brown, consider it a likely dwarf planet. Its moderately red color and moderate geometric albedo of 0.170 are typical for mid-sized TNOs. The object's mass and density are unknown, but Hubble observations in late 2025 and early 2026 are expected to determine them, potentially testing the hypothesis that mid-sized TNOs have highly porous, unheated interiors. Its moon, discovered in 2018, is relatively small compared to the primary, supporting an impact origin. As of 2025, over 20 known TNOs lie farther from the Sun than Chiminigagua.
Did You Know?
- It has one unnamed moon about 190 km in diameter, believed to have formed from a giant impact.
- The object's name comes from the Muisca creator god Chiminigagua, representing the only light when it was night.
- Chiminigagua passed aphelion in March–April 1978 and will reach perihelion between October and November 2202.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 532037 Chiminigagua?
It is a massive scattered-disc object lurking in the far reaches of our Solar System, with a diameter estimated at roughly 740 kilometers. Because of its size, many astronomers regard it as a likely dwarf-planet candidate.
Who found 532037 Chiminigagua and when?
Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo spotted it on 17 March 2013 using the 4.0-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. The public announcement of the discovery followed a year later, on 31 March 2014.
Where does 532037 Chiminigagua orbit?
It travels through the scattered disc, a population of icy bodies beyond Neptune, with a semi-major axis of about 58.9 AU from the Sun. That places it well outside the orbit of Pluto for most of its journey.
Does 532037 Chiminigagua have a moon?
Yes, it hosts at least one satellite with an estimated diameter of around 190 kilometers. That companion is roughly a quarter the size of the primary body.
Why is it called Chiminigagua?
The name honors Chiminigagua, the creator deity of the Muisca people of Colombia, a figure tied to light and the act of creation. The object received its permanent designation, 532037, on 18 May 2019.
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