An asteroid has been named after SOPHIE

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially named an asteroid after SOPHIE last year, it’s been revealed.

Following a petition by fan Christian Arroyo receiving over 95,000 signatures – including that of Charli XCX – minor planet 1980 RE1 has been permanently named after the late experimental pop artist.

While the petition originally requested that the circumbinary exoplanet TOI 1338b be named after the Scottish musician, who tragically died last January, asteroid RE1 is now officially known as Sophiexeon.

Sophiexenon was originally discovered in 1980 by Antonín Mrkos in the Czech Republic. Check out the official NASA stats of the asteroid here.

“TOI 1338 b is what I initially wanted to name through the petition,” said petition starter Christian Arroyo on Twitter. “that ended up being impossible so I sent an asteroid naming proposal with the petition to the International Astronomical Union. I’m not solely the one who did it. All of us did by showing that she was a huge influence who changed lives and left a lasting impact.”

“SOPHIE has influenced so many of us, and now she will forever be part of the cosmos,” Arroyo added.

In a statement, the IAU said: “SOPHIE was known as an electronic music pioneer whose futuristic style changed the landscape of pop music in the early 21st century.”

Read Anna Cafolla’s tribute to SOPHIE’s unique authenticity and artifice.

A repress SOPHIE’s ‘Nothing More To Say’ will be released on 14th February.