Weird Al Yankovic’s Name Goes Cosmic
“Weird Al” Yankovic, the iconic American musician and comedian, has officially been honored with an asteroid named after him. The asteroid, designated as (14331) Alyankovic, was approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and orbits our solar system approximately every four years.
Discovery and Naming
Discovered in 1981, this asteroid’s name change comes as a result of a nomination supported by planetary scientist Allison McGraw and other researchers. During a recent event, McGraw presented Yankovic with a commemorative plaque before his performance at the Tucson Arena on September 20.
“I’ve been working on not being starstruck… but I have the feeling that he’s going to be really cool,” McGraw remarked ahead of meeting the artist.
Where Is Alyankovic?
Alyankovic resides in the main belt of asteroids, located between Mars and Jupiter. Though it’s visible from Earth, it requires a good telescope to observe due to its absolute magnitude of 16, making it much dimmer than the faintest stars visible to the naked eye.
Celebrity Asteroids
Alyankovic joins a list of other celebrities whose names have been given to asteroids, including:
- 17059 Elvis
- 17473 Freddiemercury
- 249516 Aretha (after Aretha Franklin)
- 10731 Dollyparton
- All members of The Beatles, individually and collectively (8749 Beatles).
A Long-Standing Connection to Space
Yankovic has entertained audiences with space-themed songs over his career, such as “Sir Isaac Newton vs. Bill Nye” and “The Saga Begins,” which parodies the Star Wars saga. The ability for living individuals to have asteroids named after them is a rare honor, with a lengthy approval process ensuring that nominees meet specific criteria.
For more details about the guidelines and criteria for naming asteroids, you can refer to the IAU’s documentation.
Notable Recent Asteroid Names
In addition to Alyankovic, other recently named asteroids include:
- (15708) Metsoc, named for the Meteoritical Society.
- (20176) Aliciagoyena, in honor of a Uruguayan educator.
- (31550) Beckmaier, recognizing a telescope operator at Lowell Observatory.
- (50271) Albertoanunziato, after an Argentinian amateur astronomer.
- (74025) Marquette, named for a retired French astrophysicist.
With his new cosmic namesake, Weird Al has truly gone beyond earthbound fame to etch his name in the stars.
