Two New Craters on Mars Named After Towns in UP and Bihar
The Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), a unit of the Department of Space, has recently announced a significant honor for Indian geography through celestial nomenclature. Three craters on Mars, discovered by PRL scientists in 2021, have been officially named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in June 2024. Among them are two craters named after towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, namely Mursan and Hilsa, respectively. The largest of these craters, spanning approximately 65 kilometers in diameter, has been named "Lal" crater after the distinguished Indian geophysicist and former director of PRL, Prof. Devendra Lal. He led the institution from 1972 to 1983, contributing significantly to cosmic ray physics and planetary science. Adjacent to the Lal crater are the newly named Mursan and Hilsa craters, each measuring around 10 kilometers in width. Mursan crater is situated on the eastern rim of the Lal crater, while Hilsa crater is located on...
