Moon crater named after Nepal’s luminary Pasang Lhamu

The US Geological Survey (USGS), America’s largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, has named a crater at the Moon’s South Pole after the first Nepali woman to scale highest peak in the world Mt. Everest, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa.

“Pasang Lhamu was the first Nepalese woman to summit Everest and now has a crater named for her on the summit of an important lunar South Pole mountain,” announced the USGS.

The announcement came after the International Astronomical Union, the internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies and their surface features, approved the name of the crater as ‘Lhamu Crater’ on July 29.

“On behalf of the Pasang Lhamu’ family, we would like to thank the USGS/IAU for naming a crater ‘Lhamu’ on the Moon’s South Pole,” remarked Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa, Pasang Lhamu’s husband.

On April 22, 1993, Pasang Lhamu created a history in Nepalese mountaineering field by becoming the first Nepalese woman to successfully scale the world’s highest peak. While descending, the the Everest.

In Nepal, the government has already declared Pasang Lhamu a National Hero and has named the Jasamba Mountain (7,315m) in the Mahalangur Range as Mt. Pasang Lhamu. The 117 km-long highway from Trishuli to Dhunche has also been named Pasang Lhamu Highway. Postage stamps have also been released in her name.