One of the songs Freddie Mercury is best known for is ‘We Will Rock You‘, so in celebration of what would be his 70th birthday, the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center has done just that. Ironically, Mercury once sang the lyrics ‘leaping through the sky like a shooting star’ in the hit ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, now a rock named after the rockstar will do so in his honor. We could keep pointing out reasons why naming a space rock after a rockstar is awesome, but you get the point.
Queen guitarist Brian May announced from Switzerland the Center’s plans to rename Asteroid 17473 “Freddie Mercury”. Asteroid 17473 was discovered in 1991, the same year the Queen frontman passed away.
“I’m happy to be able to announce that the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center has today designated Asteroid 17473, discovered 1991, in Freddie’s name, timed to honor his 70th birthday,”
May went on to speak of the asteroid and how it exists in space in the announcement, as well as thanking the agency for their honor of his ex-bandmate and friend.
“It’s a dark object — rather like a cinder in space. Viewed from the Earth, it is more than 10,000 times fainter than you can see by eye, so you need a fair-sized telescope to see it,” May said.
The IAU says the honoring of Mercury with the rock is because ‘his distinctive sound and large vocal range were hallmarks of his performance style, and he is regarded as one of the greatest rock singers of all time.’
(Via The Verge)
