A cosmic tribute: Asteroid named after beloved singer Elliott Smith
Poinews.com – More than two decades have passed since the passing of Elliott Smith, the celebrated American indie musician known for hits like “Waltz #2 (XO)”, “Between The Bars”, and “Son of Sam”. The influential artist died in October 2003 at the age of 34 following injuries from two chest stab wounds. In a fitting gesture, Smith’s legacy now extends beyond Earth with an asteroid bearing his name—specifically, the minor planet designated “(861969) Elliottsmith”. This celestial honor was initiated by Edinburgh-based filmmaker Orlando Campopiano and officially sanctioned by the International Astronomical Union’s Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature (WGSBN).
A tribute born from music
Campopiano conceived the idea while reflecting on Smith’s posthumous album “From A Basement On The Hill”, released a year after his death. The album serves as his sixth and last studio work, and the song “Shooting Star” inspired the naming. After contacting Smith’s estate, the proposal was reviewed and accepted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The asteroid, cataloged as 2014 OS439, was officially renamed “Elliottsmith” in recognition of the musician’s contributions.
“We just received official approval, and the designation is now live: Asteroid (861969) 2014 OS439 is officially ‘Elliottsmith,’” said Campopiano. “Something very interesting about this is that the catalogue number for the asteroid is 861969, directly mirroring (Smith’s) birth date of 8/6/1969!”
The IAU’s bulletin confirms the asteroid’s name honors the “American musician and songwriter [who was] born Steven Paul Smith on August 6, 1969”. The celestial body’s location can be explored via NASA and the California Institute of Technology’s Small-Body Database Lookup. This isn’t the first time a musician has received such a tribute—others like David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Dylan also have asteroids named after them.
If you’re new to Smith’s work, his third album, “Either / Or” (1997), is a strong starting point. Notably, three tracks from this record—“Between The Bars”, “Angeles”, and “Say Yes”—appear in Gus Van Sant’s film “Good Will Hunting”. Smith also composed a new track, “Miss Misery”, for the movie’s soundtrack, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
