Antarctic peak named after N.Z. woman

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 7

Antarctic peak named after N.Z. woman

A New Zealand woman has, had an Antarctic peak named | after her in a rare gesture made by the United States National Science Foundation. She is Miss Margaret Lanyon, who has been employed by Holmes and Narver, contractors to the N.S.F., in Christchurch since 1962.

j Miss Lanyon said yester(day that she had been inI formed of the gesture, almost (casually, during a recent visit (to Washington. I . “The division director of (Polar programmes (Dr R. H. (Rutford) simply said he would like me to look at a letter he handed me. I thought it was something for the Antarctic programme and

I couldn’t believe my eyes, when I read about the nam-l ing of a mountain for me,”! she said. “It was the last thing I expected and I didn’t know what to say. Naturally I’m very thrilled about it.” Lanyon Peak, in the St John Range across McMurdo Sound from McMurdo Station, is at latitude 77 degrees 15S, longitude 161 degrees 41E. Miss Lanyon is probably the first New Zealand woman to have an Antarctic feature named after her by thei Americans. According to the N.S.F. ( representative in Christ- ( church (Mr W. Seelig) the!

I gesture is in recognition of (Miss Lanyon’s excellent adI ministrative work in support (of the scientific programme over many years. The final decision to include Miss Lanyon’s name in the description of an Antarctic feature was made by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Next month Miss Lanyon hopes to make her second visit to the Antarctic, when it is likely that she will get to see “her” mountain. She (last visited McMurdo Station I about four years ago to attend (a United’ States Navy- | National Science Foundation (planning conference.