Cristiano Ronaldo: CR7 gets his own galaxy | CNN

Cristiano Ronaldo: CR7 gets his own galaxy

By Tom McGowan, CNN
1 minute read
Updated 6:38 AM EDT, Thu June 18, 2015
Barcelona star Lionel Messi had quite a season ...
Barcelona star Lionel Messi had quite a season ...
Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo finished the season as La Liga's top goalscorer but it was Messi who had the last laugh, leading Barcelona to the Spanish league and cup double and a European Champions League triumph.
Cristiano Ronaldo finished the season as La Liga's top goalscorer but it was Messi who had the last laugh, leading Barcelona to the Spanish league and cup double and a European Champions League triumph.
PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/Getty Images/file
Messi celebrates his stunning opening goal in the 3-1 Copa del Rey final victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Argentine grabbed a second later in the game.
May 30, 2015 —
Messi celebrates his stunning opening goal in the 3-1 Copa del Rey final victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Argentine grabbed a second later in the game.
David Ramos/Getty Image
Ronaldo scores a first-half hat-trick in Real Madrid's 7-3 win against Getafe, meaning he wins the La Liga goal race by 48-43 over Lionel Messi.
May 23, 2015 —
Ronaldo scores a first-half hat-trick in Real Madrid's 7-3 win against Getafe, meaning he wins the La Liga goal race by 48-43 over Lionel Messi.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Messi scores his second goal in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Deportivo La Coruna, taking his season tally to 56.
May 23, 2015 —
Messi scores his second goal in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Deportivo La Coruna, taking his season tally to 56.
Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Messi's 55th goal of the season -- the Argentine finished off a typically intricate team move -- gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid to ensure the Catalan side won its 23rd La Liga crown.
May 17, 2015 —
Messi's 55th goal of the season -- the Argentine finished off a typically intricate team move -- gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid to ensure the Catalan side won its 23rd La Liga crown.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 win at Espanyol, but his trio of goals must have come with a bittersweet feeling given Barca's title triumph.
May 17, 2015 —
Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 win at Espanyol, but his trio of goals must have come with a bittersweet feeling given Barca's title triumph.
AFP/Getty Images/Lluis Gene
Ronaldo fires his 55th goal this season, scoring Real Madrid's opener from the penalty spot against Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal. He joined Messi on a leading 10 goals in the competition, but Real exited 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw.
May 13, 2015 —
Ronaldo fires his 55th goal this season, scoring Real Madrid's opener from the penalty spot against Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal. He joined Messi on a leading 10 goals in the competition, but Real exited 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw.
GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images
Messi puts in a virtuoso display, scoring twice as Barcelona crushes Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. The Argentine now has a record 77 goals in the competition.
May 6, 2015 —
Messi puts in a virtuoso display, scoring twice as Barcelona crushes Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. The Argentine now has a record 77 goals in the competition.
Shaun Botterill/Getty Image
Ronaldo netted his 54th goal of the season in his side's 2-1 first-leg defeat by Juventus in the Champions League semifinals. It took his overall tally Europe's top club competition to 76.
May 5, 2015 —
Ronaldo netted his 54th goal of the season in his side's 2-1 first-leg defeat by Juventus in the Champions League semifinals. It took his overall tally Europe's top club competition to 76.
Marco Bertorello/AFP/Getty Images
Ronaldo quickly reclaimed his scoring supremacy with a hat-trick in the 3-2 win at Sevilla which kept Real Madrid in the title race. It took Ronaldo to 42 goals in La Liga and 53 in all competitions.
May 2, 2015 —
Ronaldo quickly reclaimed his scoring supremacy with a hat-trick in the 3-2 win at Sevilla which kept Real Madrid in the title race. It took Ronaldo to 42 goals in La Liga and 53 in all competitions.
Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images
Messi earlier moved ahead of Ronaldo with two goals at Cordoba, giving the Argentine a 51-50 advantage in their duel. Luis Suarez (R) also scored a hat-trick in his side's 8-0 romp against La Liga's bottom team.
May 2, 2015 —
Messi earlier moved ahead of Ronaldo with two goals at Cordoba, giving the Argentine a 51-50 advantage in their duel. Luis Suarez (R) also scored a hat-trick in his side's 8-0 romp against La Liga's bottom team.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Messi took his tally for the month of April to six with a double against Getafe as Barcelona triumphed 6-0 to stay top of the league.
April 28, 2015 —
Messi took his tally for the month of April to six with a double against Getafe as Barcelona triumphed 6-0 to stay top of the league.
Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Messi scores his 47th goal this season as Barcelona extends its league lead to five points with a 2-0 win in the Catalan derby at Espanyol.
April 25, 2015 —
Messi scores his 47th goal this season as Barcelona extends its league lead to five points with a 2-0 win in the Catalan derby at Espanyol.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Messi scores in the final minute to double Barcelona's lead in a 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia. It was his 400th goal in the Catalan club's colors.
April 18, 2015 —
Messi scores in the final minute to double Barcelona's lead in a 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia. It was his 400th goal in the Catalan club's colors.
LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images
Ronaldo also had to wait until the last minute to find the target as Real Madrid beat Malaga 3-1 in La Liga. It was his 50th goal this term.
April 18, 2015 —
Ronaldo also had to wait until the last minute to find the target as Real Madrid beat Malaga 3-1 in La Liga. It was his 50th goal this term.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Messi scores Barcelona's opening goal of the 2-2 draw at Sevilla. He now has 35 goals in La Liga this season and 46 overall.
April 11, 2015 —
Messi scores Barcelona's opening goal of the 2-2 draw at Sevilla. He now has 35 goals in La Liga this season and 46 overall.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Ronaldo blasts Real Madrid's opening goal from a free-kick in the preceding 3-0 win at home to Eibar -- his 38th in La Liga this season at the time.
April 11, 2015 —
Ronaldo blasts Real Madrid's opening goal from a free-kick in the preceding 3-0 win at home to Eibar -- his 38th in La Liga this season at the time.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
300 and counting. Ronaldo scores his 300th goal for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano. It took him just 288 matches to reach that mark, and was his 37th in La Liga this season.
April 8, 2015 —
300 and counting. Ronaldo scores his 300th goal for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano. It took him just 288 matches to reach that mark, and was his 37th in La Liga this season.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Messi celebrates his 33rd La Liga goal of the season in typical style as it puts Barcelona on its way to a 4-0 win over Almeria.
April 8, 2015 —
Messi celebrates his 33rd La Liga goal of the season in typical style as it puts Barcelona on its way to a 4-0 win over Almeria.
Miguel Ruiz/Getty Images
Ronaldo grabbed a first-half hat-trick against Granada and went on to net five times in a 9-1 demolition job by Real.
April 5, 2015 —
Ronaldo grabbed a first-half hat-trick against Granada and went on to net five times in a 9-1 demolition job by Real.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Ronaldo equalizes for Real in the Clasico at Camp Nou. Messi didn't find the net that day, but Barca won 2-1 to steal a march in the title race.
March 22, 2015 —
Ronaldo equalizes for Real in the Clasico at Camp Nou. Messi didn't find the net that day, but Barca won 2-1 to steal a march in the title race.
David Ramos/Getty Images/file
Messi was surrounded by Rayo Vallecano players in this La Liga match, but still managed the 32nd hat-trick of his career as Barca romped to a 6-1 win.
March 8, 2015 —
Messi was surrounded by Rayo Vallecano players in this La Liga match, but still managed the 32nd hat-trick of his career as Barca romped to a 6-1 win.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Messi's treble against Levante was part of the Argentine's seven-goal month, helping him draw level with Ronaldo on 38 for the season.
February 15, 2015 —
Messi's treble against Levante was part of the Argentine's seven-goal month, helping him draw level with Ronaldo on 38 for the season.
David Ramos/Getty Images/file
Ronaldo retained his Ballon d'Or award in the first month of the year, but Messi outscored him 8-4 thanks to this hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna.
January 18, 2015 —
Ronaldo retained his Ballon d'Or award in the first month of the year, but Messi outscored him 8-4 thanks to this hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
CNN  — 

He’s already a star but now “Galatico” Cristiano Ronaldo can look up into the night sky and see a whole galaxy of them named after him.

The Real Madrid star has had the honor bestowed on him by the European Southern Observatory (ESO.)

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best footballer in January.
Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best footballer in January.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images/file

An astronomical research organization made up of 16 nations, the ESO described the newly-christened CR7 galaxy as “by far the brightest galaxy yet found in the early Universe.”

CR7, as well as being a moniker associated with the Portugal national team captain, is an abbreviation of COSMOS Redshift 7.

The name refers to the galaxy’s age. The higher the redshift, the further back in the history of the universe the galaxy is being seen from.

The galaxy will share the CR7 name with a line of underwear endorsed by Ronaldo, who even has his very own museum.

While the stars which share his name shine bright, Real endured a less-than-stellar season.

Despite Ronaldo scoring 48 goals, Real missed out on the league title to Barcelona.

Led by Ronaldo’s archrival Lionel Messi, Barca clinched the Spanish league and cup double before lifting the European Champions League trophy.

It begs the question; if Ronaldo has a galaxy, what next for Messi?

A planet, perhaps?