The Spanish writer Javier Sierra, a reference in cultural research on great enigmas —including unidentified aerial phenomena— has received one of the most unique recognitions that can be awarded to a contemporary author: the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid after him.
The celestial body, previously designated as 1997PV4, is now called 55866 javiersierra. It is an asteroid about two kilometers in diameter that orbits in the main belt, between Mars and Jupiter, and was discovered from the Astronomical Observatory of Mallorca in 1997. The proposal to assign the writer’s name came from the Foundation of the Institute of Astronomy and Astronautics of Mallorca, after evaluating his international projection and his work as a popularizer of historical and scientific mysteries. The coincidence that the asteroid was discovered on the same day as the author’s birthday tipped the balance. “It is a beautiful cosmic alignment… and an unexpected honor,” Sierra declared.
A journey linked to mystery, from Earth… to space
Sierra is internationally recognized for his rigorous and cultural approach to the frontier topics of knowledge. Three years ago, the festival Ocultura —which he himself promoted— dedicated its main edition to the UFO phenomenon and to new investigations on unidentified aerial phenomena, at a time of increasing international transparency on these issues.
Furthermore, Sierra directs the Ocultura collection of the Luciérnaga publishing house, a specialized label that gathers works dedicated to historical mysteries, scientific enigmas, and the exploration of everything that challenges our certainties. His work has established a global community of readers interested in mystery from a serious, documented, and cultural perspective.
An author with a global presence
Born in Teruel in 1971, Sierra is the author of twelve books —eight of which are internationally successful novels— published in 44 countries. He was the first contemporary Spanish writer to enter the bestsellers list of the New York Times, and won the Planeta Prize in 2017 with The Invisible Fire. Titles such as The Secret Dinner, The Master of the Prado, The Immortal Pyramid, and The Master Plan have expanded his global recognition, placing him at the intersection of literature, history, and the exploration of humanity’s great enigmas.
A tribute that transcends borders
The naming of the asteroid 55866 javiersierra incorporates him into the select group of Spanish personalities immortalized in the cosmos —among them, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Rafael Nadal, and Fernando Alonso— and symbolically crowns the trajectory of an author who has dedicated his life to looking beyond the obvious.
Now, his name not only occupies libraries, parks, or squares… it also travels silently through space, reminding us that some storytellers are born to explore all skies.
