Asteroid Will Hereafter Be Known as 'Alyankovic'

"Weird Al" Yankovic has joined a new club: that of iconic musicians granted astronomical immortality. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has approved an asteroid designation honoring the parody singer known for songs including "Yoda" and "Slime Creatures from Outer Space," Space.com reports. Previously identified as 14331, a mile-wide space rock discovered in 1981 in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter will hereafter be known as Alyankovic. Planetary scientist Allison McGraw led the push for the name and surprised Yankovic with a commemorative plaque backstage before his show in Tucson on Sunday, the Arizona Daily Star reports.

McGraw—who has her own asteroid, (20092) Allisonmcgraw—says she was inspired to pursue the designation because of Yankovic's science-related songs and videos, including "Our Friend Dirt." She and colleagues also convinced the IAU to name an asteroid after musical humorist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who inspired Yankovic, per the Daily Star. The asteroids share celestial company with other musically-named space rocks like (17059) Elvis, (17473) Freddiemercury, (249516) Aretha, (10731) Dollyparton, and multiple Beatles-themed rocks. Yankovic, for his part, has long looked spaceward in his work, with songs ranging from "The Saga Begins" to "Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet Near Mars."