Milky Way (Antarctica)

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The Milky Way is a col (a gap between two mountain peaks) situated between the southernmost extremity of the LeMay Range and the Planet Heights mountain range, in the eastern part of Alexander Island, Antarctica. It is the highest point on a possible sledging route between Jupiter Glacier and Uranus Glacier. The col was first mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition in 1947–48, by D. Searle of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in 1960. It was named after the Milky Way by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee from association with the nearby Planet Heights and the glaciers which are named for the planets of the Solar System. [1]

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Carey Glacier

Carey Glacier is a glacier on the east side of Miller and Fruzhin Peaks and west of Ruset and Malkoch Peaks in Petvar Heights at the southeast end of the Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains, flowing southeast to Minnesota Glacier. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and from U.S. Navy air photos, 1957–59, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Lieutenant David W. Carey, pilot with U.S. Navy Squadron VX-6, who was killed in the crash of a P2V Neptune airplane at McMurdo Sound in October 1956.

Neptune Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 12 nautical miles (22 km) long and 4 nautical miles (7 km) wide, flowing east into George VI Sound and the George VI Ice Shelf to the south of Triton Point. Although Neptune Glacier is not located within the mountain range Planet Heights, the glaciers name derives from the mountain range along with many other nearby glaciers named after planets of the Solar System. There are also other nearby landforms named in association with these glaciers. The glacier was first sighted from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The mouth of the glacier was positioned in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for the planet Neptune following a Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) survey in 1949. The head of the glacier was mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, by Searle of the FIDS in 1960.

Jupiter Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 10 nautical miles (19 km) long and 5 nautical miles (9 km) wide at its mouth, which flows east into George VI Sound to the south of Ablation Valley. It was first photographed from the air on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth and mapped from these photos by W.L.G. Joerg. It was roughly surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition, and was named for the planet Jupiter by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey following their surveys in 1948 and 1949.

Planet Heights is a series of summits running along an ice-free ridge, extending 24 nautical miles (44 km) in a north-south direction between the southernmost extremity of the LeMay Range and George VI Sound in the east part of Alexander Island, Antarctica. Many landforms and nearby features are named in association with this mountain range; some of these include landforms named after astronomers, satellites, planets and other things related to astrology and astrophysics. The mountain range was first mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, by Searle of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1960. Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) from association with the nearby glaciers named for planets of the Solar System. The only planet that is not featured in any of these glaciers is the planet Earth, as there are no glaciers named "Earth Glacier" and this glacier does not exist.

Pluto Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 10 nautical miles (18 km) long and 4 nautical miles (7 km) wide, which flows east into George VI Sound to the north of Succession Cliffs. Although Pluto Glacier is not located within nearby Planet Heights, the glacier was named in association with the mountain range along with many other nearby glaciers that are named after planets of the Solar System. The glacier was first photographed from the air on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth and mapped from these photos by W.L.G. Joerg. Roughly surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Pluto, then considered the ninth planet of the Solar System, following Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) surveys in 1948 and 1949.

Eros Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 7 nautical miles (13 km) long and 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide at its mouth, flowing southeast from the Planet Heights into George VI Sound immediately north of Fossil Bluff. It was probably first seen on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth, who flew directly over the glacier and obtained photos of features north and south of it. The mouth of the glacier was observed and positioned by the British Graham Land Expedition in 1936 and the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1948 and 1949. The glacier was mapped in detail from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, by D. Searle of the FIDS in 1960. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee after the minor planet Eros in association with nearby Pluto Glacier and Uranus Glacier.

Payne Glacier

Payne Glacier is a glacier in the north part of Evans Peninsula, Thurston Island. It flows into the sea east of Cape Walden. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after Photographer's Mate J.B. Payne, aircrewman in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of Thurston Island and adjacent coastal areas, 1946–47.

The Ganymede Heights consist of rounded ridges with extensive rock outcrops rising to about 600 m (2,000 ft), between Jupiter Glacier and Ablation Valley on the eastern side of Alexander Island, Antarctica. They were mapped by the Directorate of Overseas Surveys from satellite imagery supplied by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration in cooperation with the US Geological Survey. They were named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee from association with Jupiter Glacier after Ganymede, one of the satellites of the planet Jupiter. The feature also lies close to the Galileo Cliffs, which were named for the moon's discoverer, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). The site lies within Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.147.

Long Gables

The Long Gables are prominent twin peaks, with heights of 4,150 and 4,110 metres, joined by a col, with the lower rock exposures being in the form of steep buttresses. The peaks rise from the main ridge of the Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica between Mount Anderson and Mount Viets. They surmount Burdenis Glacier to the southeast, Gerila Glacier to the east and Fonfon Glacier to the northeast.

Mincer Glacier

Mincer Glacier is a broad glacier flowing from Zuhn Bluff into the southeast arm of Murphy Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant Dale F. Mincer, a co-pilot of PBM Mariner aircraft in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of Thurston Island and adjacent coastal areas in 1946–47.

Mercury Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 5 nautical miles (9 km) long and 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide, flowing east into George VI Sound between the Waitabit Cliffs and Keystone Cliffs. The glacier was probably first sighted from a distance by Lincoln Ellsworth, who flew near it and photographed segments of this coast on November 23, 1935. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for the planet Mercury following rough surveys from George VI Sound by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1948 and 1949. The glacier was mapped in detail from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, by D. Searle of the FIDS in 1960. Although Mercury Glacier is not located within the Planet Heights, it is named in association with the heights along with many other nearby glaciers named after planets of the Solar System.

Mars Glacier is a glacier in the southeastern corner of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 6 nautical miles (11 km) long and 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide, flowing south into the George VI Ice Shelf. The glacier lies between Two Step Cliffs and Phobos Ridge. Mars Glacier was first sighted from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. It was first surveyed in 1949 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for the planet Mars, the fourth planet from the sun in the Solar System.

Huns Nunatak is a nunatak rising to about 950 metres (3,120 ft) in the center of the Milky Way, a mountain pass between the LeMay Range and the Planet Heights, in the central portion of Alexander Island, Antarctica. The name originates from dog teams named "The Huns" that served at various British stations in Antarctica, 1961–74, and honors the loyal service of all Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey/British Antarctic Survey sled dogs. Huns Nunatak seems to bear some relation to Admirals Nunatak, which lies about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the southwest, considering they are both named after a team of sled dogs.

Saturn Glacier is a glacier lying in southeast Alexander Island, Antarctica. The glacier is 15 nautical miles (28 km) long and 6 nautical miles (11 km) wide, flowing southeast into the George VI Ice Shelf of George VI Sound north of Corner Cliffs. Although the glacier is not situated within Planet Heights, its name derives from the nearby mountain range along with many other glaciers named after planets of the Solar System. The nunataks at the head of the glacier are also named after solar system features, for example the Enceladus Nunataks named for a moon of Saturn. The coast in this vicinity was first seen from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The glacier was surveyed in 1949 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for the planet Saturn, the sixth planet of the Solar System.

Lunar Crag is one of the rock-exposed summits within the Planet Heights mountain range, rising to about 1,200 metres (4,000 ft) at the head of Pluto Glacier on the east side of Alexander Island, Antarctica. It was photographed from the air by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, and mapped from these photographs by D. Searle of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in 1960. The crag was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1977 in association with nearby landforms named after planets and satellites of the Solar System; other examples include Phobos Ridge and Jupiter Glacier.

References

  1. "Milky Way". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2013-09-25.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document: "Milky Way (Antarctica)".(content from the Geographic Names Information System )

Coordinates: 71°11′S68°55′W / 71.183°S 68.917°W / -71.183; -68.917