Shooting Star Leaping Through the Sky Renamed in Honor of Freddie Mercury’s 70th Birthday

How does one quantify if a giant space rock is floating around in ecstasy? Queen’s Brian May announced via YouTube that the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center has renamed Asteroid 17473 Asteroid 17473 Freddiemercury, in honor of the singer’s 70th birthday yesterday. “It’s just a dot of light, but it’s a very special dot of light,” May says of Freddie’s heavenly body, which he also descries as a “cinder in space.” It is an extremely kind gesture, even when considering the fact Freddie already has his own planet.

Asteroid Renamed in Honor of Freddie Mercury