Simpson is asteroid #4788 and also known as 1986 TL₁. Simpson measures approximately 3.6 km in diameter and features an (in 2020 discovered) asteroid-moon. Simpson’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.26 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.13, a period of revolution of 1’242 days, and an inclination of 4.3 degrees. Simpson was discovered by Edward L. G. “Ted” Bowell at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory.

Simpson is named after Robert Wilfred Levick Simpson, who was born in 1921, passed away in 1997, was married twice, was a composer, BBC producer, broadcaster, music producer, author, editor, and amateur astronomer. Robert Wilfred Levick Simpson’s father, Robert Warren Simpson, was a descendant of Sir James Young Simpson, the Scottish pioneer of anesthetics. Robert Wilfred Levick Simpson’s mother, Helena Hendrika Govaars, was Dutch and the daughter of Gerrit Govaars, founder of the Leger des Heils, the Dutch arm of the Salvation Army. Robert Wilfred Levick Simpson studied at Westminster City School. He was intended for a medical career and studied in London for two years before his determination to be a musician gained the upper hand. Robert W. L. Simpson in 1946 married Bessie Fraser, who in 1981 passed away. Robert W. L. Simpson then in 1982 married Angela Musgrave, a relative of the composer Thea Musgrave.

Robert W. L. Simpson composed symphonies (eleven of them) and string quartets (fifteen of them). He furthermore wrote books about other composers and also served as an editor for some books of this kind. While I’m not competent to tell anything about music, a Robert Simpson Society was formed already in 1980 by individuals concerned that Robert W. L. Simpson’s music had been unfairly neglected. The society issues a journal, maintains an archive, and sponsors recordings and live performances of the works of Robert W. L. Simpson. Especially remarkable is that the society was formed while Robert W. L. Simpson still was alive. In his later career, Robert W. L. Simpson during many years was a producer and broadcaster for the BBC. This company in 1980 faced a musicians’ strike because the management found that the BBC doesn’t need eleven orchestras and wanted to decommission five of them. This made Robert W. L. Simpson violate the company’s rules and discuss the issue in public. Robert W. L. Simpson in consequence had few months prior to his possible retirement to leave the British Broadcasting Company. He in 1986 moved to Ireland and settled in Tralee Bay in Kerry County. Robert Simpson in 1991 during an English lecture tour suffered a severe stroke. This damaged his thalamus and left him in debilitating pain for the remaining six years of his life. Robert Simpson called himself a socialist politically, but he wasn’t politically active. Astronomy was his passion, second to only music. He was a member of the British Astronomical Association and he was made a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The latter is especially remarkable because it is unusual for an amateur astronomer. Yet it seems to have nothing to do with successes in astronomy because such aren’t known of Robert Simpson.

1986 TL₁ besides being a person name asteroid also is an asteroid of the cause-of-death theme. 1986 TL₁ as such represents strokes and debilitating pain in the terminal stage and also a very long terminal stage. But the main realm of asteroid #4788 is freedom of speech. Especially in the name of free speech giving up financial advantages and expressing opinions through music belong to Simpson’s themes.