MSNBC reports that

The week he died, science-fiction humorist Douglas Adams was honored with an asteroid named after one of the characters from his classic "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" [asteroid Arthur Dent]. Now, almost four years later, Adams has his own name in the heavens as well — thanks to a campaign in which MSNBC.com played a part.

It was almost as if it was fated to be: the asteroid with the provisional designation 2001 DA42, which carries Douglas Adams' initials, the year in which he died, and the illustrious number "42," has now been renamed "Douglasadams." A fitting tribute to a gifted author who died before his time...