Pagano Nunatak is a notable rock nunatak

Nunatak

A nunatak is an exposed, often rocky element of a ridge, mountain, or peak not covered with ice or snow within an ice field or glacier. The term is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present...

 with a pointed summit (1,830 m) which stands in relative isolation, 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Hart Hills

Hart Hills

Hart Hills is a line of low, mainly snow-covered hills, 4 nautical miles long, trending east-west. The hills are isolated, lying 8 nautical miles west of Pagano Nunatak and 77 nautical miles north of Ford Massif of the Thiel Mountains...

 and 80 nautical miles (150 km) north-northeast of Ford Massif

Ford Massif

Ford Massif is a broad, snow-topped massif 15 nautical miles long and 5 nautical miles wide, forming the major topographic landmark of northern Thiel Mountains. The massif rises to 2,810 m, is essentially flat, and terminates in steep rock cliffs in all but the southern side. Named by Advisory...

, Thiel Mountains

Thiel Mountains

The Thiel Mountains are an isolated, mainly snow-capped mountain range in Antarctica which are long. The mountains are located roughly between the Horlick Mountains and the Pensacola Mountains, and extend from Moulton Escarpment on the west to Nolan Pillar on the east. Major components include...

. The nunatak was examined and sketched by Edward Thiel in the course of an airlifted seismic traverse along meridian 88W in the 1959-60 season. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending names for features in Antarctica...

 (US-ACAN) after Chief Warrant Officer Gerald Pagano (d.1981), USA, assistant for plans and operations on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Naval Support Force, Antarctica, 1960–65; staff member, Center for Polar Archives, National Archives, 1972-81.