The Name Game Planetary Science

Rock star Freddie Mercury now has his own space rock

The late musician is the most recent celebrity to have an asteroid named after him

movie of asteroid 17473 Freddiemercury

BURNING THROUGH THE SKY  Singer Freddie Mercury now has an asteroid named after him. This movie of the rock star’s rock (center) was captured at Lowell Observatory in Arizona.  

M. Buie/SwRI, B. Skiff/Lowell Observatory

By Christopher Crockett

- More than 2 years ago

Freddie Mercury, the late lead singer for the band Queen, once sang: “I’m a shooting star leaping through the sky.”