Named in honor of Pierre Drossart (1956– ), researcher of the CNRS at Paris-Meudon Observatory. Drossart is a specialist on the atmospheres of the giant planets and has worked on the interpretation of the infrared spectra of Jupiter from Voyager and groundbased observations (Jupiter H2O measurements, first detection of H3+ on Jupiter, observations of aurorae, etc.). He has been involved as a co-investigator in several space-mission imaging spectrometers used to study Mars and the giant planets. (M 27459) _ _.