Gibran gets a Crater named after him on planet Mercury.
July 2009 ~ The International Astronomical Union (IAU) names 16 impact craters on Mercury. The newly named craters were imaged during the mission’s first two flybys of Mercury in January and October last year.
Naming the craters helps to identify and improve communication among those studying the planet’s geology says; MESSENGER Participating Scientist Dave Blewett, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, in Laurel, Md.
The IAU has been the overseers of planetary and satellite nomenclature since its inception in 1919. In keeping with the established naming theme for craters on Mercury, all of the craters are named after famous deceased artists, musicians, or authors. The newly named craters include:
Abedin, after Zainul Abedin, a Bangladeshi painter and printmaker who first attracted attention with his sketches of the Bengal famine of 1943.
Benoit, after Rigaud Benoit, an early member of the Haïtian art movement known as Naive Art, so-called because of its members’ limited formal training.
Berkel, after Sabri Berkel, a Turkish painter and printmaker.
Calvino, after Italo Calvino, an Italian writer of short stories and novels.
de Graft, after Joe Coleman De Graft, a prominent Ghanaian writer, playwright, and dramatist who was appointed the first director of the Ghana Drama Studio in 1962.
Derain, after Andre Derain, a French painter and co-founder of the Fauvism movement with Henri Matisse.
Eastman, after Charles A. Eastman, a Native American (Sioux) author, physician, and reformer who helped found the Boy Scouts of America.
Gibran, after Kahlil (Khalil) Gibran, a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer, best known for his 1923 book The Prophet, a series of philosophical essays written in English prose.
Hemingway, after Ernest Hemingway, an American writer and journalist who had a significant influence on the development of 20th century fiction.
Hodgkins, after Frances Hodgkins, a New Zealander painter.
Izquierdo, after María Izquierdo, a Mexican painter who used the landscape and traditions of Mexico as inspirations for her artwork.
Gibran has crater named after him on planet Mercury
