Late, great singer-songwriter Elliott Smith finds immortality as an asteroid

An asteroid now bears the name of beloved musician Elliott Smith, thanks to one ambitious filmmaker. Elliott Smith passed away at the age of 34 in 2003, but his impact and his music continue to connect with people around the world. And his influence has now extended to space, thanks to independent filmmaker Orlando Campopiano, who worked to get an asteroid named "Elliottsmith." "I hope this introduces at least one new person to Elliott's brilliant discography, and I'm happy to see a permanent legacy in the stars! To have this tribute to him blessed by the estate and discoverers is also a great honor," Campopiano told Stereogum . Elliott Smith - Needle In The Hay (Lyric Video) - YouTube Watch On While listening to the song " Shooting Star ," from Smith's album "From a Basement on the Hill," which was released in 2004 following his death, Campopiano had the idea to try and get an asteroid named after Smith, he told Stereogum. He took this inspiration and ran with it, connecting with Smith's estate and working together to submit a proposal to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), which gives official names to cosmic objects, including asteroids. Maybe there are some Elliott Smith fans at the IAU, because the organization actually said yes. With this positive response, Asteroid (861969) 2014 OS439 is now officially "Elliottsmith." The asteroid Elliotsmith (861969) visualized in our solar system. …