Snow Hill Island
Encyclopedia
Snow Hill Island is an almost completely snowcapped island
, 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide, lying off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula
. It is separated from James Ross Island
to the northeast by Admiralty Sound
. It is one of several islands around the peninsula known as Graham Land
, which is closer to South America than any other part of that continent.
It was discovered on January 6, 1843 by a British expedition under James Clark Ross
who, uncertain of its connection with the mainland, named it Snow Hill because its snow cover stood out in contrast to the bare ground of nearby Seymour Island
. Its insular character was determined in 1902 by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
under Otto Nordenskiöld
, who spent the winters of 1901, 1902, and 1903 there, using it as a base to explore the neighbouring islands and the Nordenskjold Coast
of the Antarctic Peninsula.
For a postage stamp of Otto Nordenskiöld and his ship Antarctic
, see British Antarctic Survey, Scott Catalog #53.
The hut is protected under the Antarctic Treaty.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
, 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide, lying off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica. It extends from a line between Cape Adams and a point on the mainland south of Eklund Islands....
. It is separated from James Ross Island
James Ross Island
James Ross Island is a large island off the southeast side and near the northeastern extremity of Antarctic Peninsula, from which it is separated by Prince Gustav Channel. Rising to , it is irregularly shaped and extends in a north-south direction. It was charted in October 1903 by the Swedish...
to the northeast by Admiralty Sound
Admiralty Sound
Admiralty Sound is a sound which extends in a NE-SW direction and separates Seymour and Snow Hill Islands from James Ross Island, off the NE end of Antarctic Peninsula. The broad NE part of the sound was named Admiralty Inlet by the British expedition under Capt. Ross, who discovered it on Jan. 6,...
. It is one of several islands around the peninsula known as Graham Land
Graham Land
Graham Land is that portion of the Antarctic Peninsula which lies north of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This description of Graham Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the British Antarctic Place-names Committee and the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names, in...
, which is closer to South America than any other part of that continent.
It was discovered on January 6, 1843 by a British expedition under James Clark Ross
James Clark Ross
Sir James Clark Ross , was a British naval officer and explorer. He explored the Arctic with his uncle Sir John Ross and Sir William Parry, and later led his own expedition to Antarctica.-Arctic explorer:...
who, uncertain of its connection with the mainland, named it Snow Hill because its snow cover stood out in contrast to the bare ground of nearby Seymour Island
Seymour Island
Seymour Island is an island in the chain of 16 major islands around the tip of the Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. Graham Land is closer to continental land mass than any other part of that Antarctica. It lies within the section of the island chain that resides off the west side of the...
. Its insular character was determined in 1902 by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Swedish Antarctic Expedition
The Swedish Antarctic Expedition was led by Otto Nordenskjöld and Carl Anton Larsen.-Background:Otto Nordenskjöld, a Swedish geologist and geographer, organized and lead a scientific expedition of the Antarctic Peninsula...
under Otto Nordenskiöld
Otto Nordenskiöld
Nils Otto Gustaf Nordenskjöld was a Finnish and Swedish geologist, geographer, and polar explorer.-Biography:...
, who spent the winters of 1901, 1902, and 1903 there, using it as a base to explore the neighbouring islands and the Nordenskjold Coast
Nordenskjold Coast
Nordenskjold Coast is that portion of the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula between Cape Longing and Cape Fairweather. The name was proposed in 1909 by Edwin Swift Balch, for Otto Nordenskiöld, Swedish geographer and leader of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901-04, who explored this coast...
of the Antarctic Peninsula.
For a postage stamp of Otto Nordenskiöld and his ship Antarctic
Antarctic (ship)
The Antarctic was a Swedish steamship built in Drammen, Norway in 1871. She was used on several research expeditions to the Arctic region and to Antarctica through 1898-1903. In 1895 the first confirmed landing on the mainland of Antarctica was made from this ship.-The ship:Antarctic was a barque...
, see British Antarctic Survey, Scott Catalog #53.
The hut is protected under the Antarctic Treaty.
See also
- Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
- List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands
- List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
- SCARScientific Committee on Antarctic ResearchThe Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research is an interdisciplinary body of the International Council for Science . It was established in February 1958 to continue the international coordination of Antarctic scientific activities that had begun during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58...
- Territorial claims in Antarctica