Two planets named after Uzbek scientists

Two minor planets have been named after two Uzbek scientists from the Astronomical Institute. The Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan reported this.

According to the report, an official statement published on July 9, 2026, by the Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union announced that the names of two scientists from the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Kamoliddin Ergashev and Otabek Burkhonov, had been assigned to two minor planets, or asteroids. The new names were published in Volume 6, Issue 11 of the WGSBN Bulletin.

From now on, these celestial bodies will be recorded in international astronomical catalogues under the names (131358) Kamolergashev and (121339) Otabekburkhonov.

The asteroid originally registered in international catalogues as 2001 KA2 was discovered on May 19, 2001, by Czech astronomers at the Ondřejov Observatory in the Czech Republic. The asteroid was named Kamolergashev in honor of Kamoliddin Ergashev, a senior researcher at the Astronomical Institute.

The official naming note states that Kamoliddin Ergashev joined the Astronomical Institute’s asteroid research program in 2007 and received his PhD in this field in 2024. His scientific work focuses on asteroid photometry, analysis of light curves, determining the physical properties of asteroids, as well as observational studies of asteroid pairs, clusters and binary asteroid systems.

The asteroid originally given the temporary designation 1999 TO15 in international catalogues was discovered by Czech astronomers on October 13, 1999. It was named Otabekburkhonov in honor of Otabek Burkhonov, head of a laboratory at the Astronomical Institute.

The official note describes Otabek Burkhonov as an astronomer who has worked at the Ulugh Beg Astronomical Institute since 2000. He received his Candidate of Sciences degree in 2005. His research is devoted to optical photometry and includes the study of asteroid light curves, variable stars, gravitationally lensed quasars, and follow-up optical observations of gamma-ray bursts at the Maidanak Observatory.

The Academy of Sciences noted that naming asteroids after scientists is a special form of international recognition of their scientific work and contribution to the development of science. Approved names are included in international astronomical nomenclature and will be used as the official names of the objects in future scientific articles, catalogues and ephemerides.

“The naming of asteroids after two Uzbek astronomers is a joyful and proud event for Uzbekistan’s astronomy. The Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the team of the Ulugh Beg Astronomical Institute sincerely congratulate Kamoliddin Ergashev and Otabek Burkhonov on this high international recognition and wish them new scientific achievements, successful observations and great success in their future research,” the Academy said.

For reference, the two scientists were also awarded NASA’s Group Achievement Award for their active participation and contribution to NASA’s planetary defense experiment.

Earlier, it was reported that Uzbekistan would send its first cosmonaut into space in 2028. According to Muhiddin Ibragimov, Deputy Director of the Uzbekkosmos Agency, a government commission will be formed to train the cosmonaut and select candidates.