April 01, 2026 06:47 pm (IST)
Follow us:
NASA names Pluto peaks after Tenzing Norgay
California, July 19 (IBNS): In a proud moment for India, NASA has informally named a region of icy mountains on Pluto after Tenzing Norgay, the Indian Sherpa who reached the summit of Mount Everest along with Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953, reports said.
The icy peaks, which have been named Norgay Montes, are as high as 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) above the surface of the icy body.
Icy mountains on Pluto and a new, crisp view of its largest moon, Charon, are among the several discoveries announced Wednesday by NASA's New Horizons team, just one day after the spacecraft’s first ever Pluto flyby.
The mountains on Pluto likely formed no more than 100 million years ago -- mere youngsters in a 4.56-billion-year-old solar system. This suggests the close-up region, which covers about one percent of Pluto’s surface, may still be geologically active today.
“This is one of the youngest surfaces we’ve ever seen in the solar system,” said Jeff Moore of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging Team (GGI) at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.
Tenzing's family members told media that they felt honoured by this recognition.
"NASA could have name the mountains after any American legend-its decision to use Tenzing Norgay's name was unexpected," Tenzing's son Jamling was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Amit Shah to join Suvendu Adhikari on Bhabanipur nomination day; BJP plans mega roadshow
Wed, Apr 01 2026
Bengal SIR progress: 47 lakh of 60 lakh adjudicated cases disposed of, Supreme Court informed
Wed, Apr 01 2026