The Paris-based International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an eight-kilometer-wide asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter "7431 Jettaguilar," in honor of Dr. Jose Francisco "Jett" Aguilar, a neurosurgeon and an amateur astronomer.

"I am really at a loss for words — not even in my wildest dreams have I imagined having an asteroid named after me," Aguilar said in a statement Friday. "Honestly, I sincerely believe that there is a long list of more deserving Filipino amateur astronomers ahead of me, but I guess there had never been a Filipino, or American, neurosurgeon yet who had received such an honor!"

Asteroid 7431 Jettaguilar was discovered on March 19, 1993 from the European Southern Observatory in Chile and was initially introduced as 1993 FN41, according to IAU's Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN) — the sole organization responsible for assigning names to asteroids, comets, satellites of minor planets, and other small solar system bodies.