Ronaldo's out of this world: Astronomers name galaxy CR7

Real Madrid's 'galactico' era may have ended but their Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo continues to prove out of this world after seeing a galaxy named CR7.

The nickname is synonymous with the former Manchester United man, comprising his initials and the squad number he used at both United and Real.

However, it now has astronomical connotations after the European Southern Observatory (ESO) named a new galaxy in the 30-year-old's honour, describing it as the brightest to be found in the early universe.

"Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope have discovered by far the brightest galaxy yet found in the early Universe and found strong evidence that examples of the first generation of stars lurk within it," the group explained.

"These massive, brilliant, and previously purely theoretical objects were the creators of the first heavy elements in history - the elements necessary to forge the stars around us today, the planets that orbit them, and life as we know it.

"The newly found galaxy, labelled CR7, is three times brighter than the brightest distant galaxy known up to now."