Antarctica became the last, sixth mainland open person. For a long time there were only theoretical conclusions that the southern mainland exists, and only the Russian expedition of Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev in January 1820 first reached the ice of Antarctica. Today this corner of the Earth attracts romantics and researchers from all over the world, and we will try to illuminate the most beautiful places and attractions of Antarctica.
1
South Pole
Let's start with the main one, namely with the conditional point of intersection of the earth's axis with the surface of our wonderful planet. It is located among the most beautiful Polar Plateau, at an altitude of 2.8 thousand meters above sea level.
The first to reach this point on Earth was the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and members of his expedition. It happened in 1911. Subsequently, the tradition was born to leave here the flag of the country whose expedition reached the South Pole.
The thickness of the ice on the plateau near the South Pole is 2,840 meters, and the lowest air temperature was recorded at −82 ° C. And somewhere nearby is the inaccessibility pole in Antarctica, the point farthest from the coast of the Southern Ocean.
2
Bouvet Island
All who travel to Antarctica from the Atlantic are met by Bouvet Island, honored to be named after the French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bouvet. It was this romantic and navigator who set off in the 18th century in search of a tropical paradise.
He never found paradise, but he found the deserted land completely covered with fogs. Explored the island of Bouvet only a half century after its discovery.
The landscapes and nature of one of the islands farthest from the continents is no different from Antarctica. It is also covered with ice, in the center is a volcano, and almost no vegetation. The only inhabitants are penguins and seals.
3
Queen Maud Land
Near the icebergs of the Atlantic coast are the white expanses of the Queen Maud Land, named after the Queen of Norway. Germany claimed these deserted lands, but in 1939 they came under the jurisdiction of Norway.
In the 30s, the Nazis were looking for an entrance to other dimensions, and they wanted to build a “New Berlin” under the ice. Now, vast territories are used for scientific research.
In 2005, Queen Sonia attended the opening of the Norwegian Troll station, thus becoming the first special royal blood to visit Antarctica.
4
Volcano melbourne
When considering the volcanoes of Antarctica, it is necessary to mention the current stratovolcano Melbourne, whose height is 2,732 m. You can see its white slopes and peak from the island of Ross and the shield volcano Terror.
During the study, photographs of the crater were taken, with the help of which it was possible to establish that the volcano was active until 1750, and now there is a time of relative calm.
Active fumaroles are located in the crater, and at the very top a polar station functions and a helipad is equipped.
5
Bloody waterfall
If you look at Antarctica from above, then a bloody spot is clearly visible on the white coverlet. This is the so-called "Bloody Waterfall", which is a stream of water of various intensities flowing from the Taylor Glacier.
Due to the high content of iron oxide, the water turned red, creating such an unusual miracle of nature. There is an underground lake in the glacier itself, and due to the high salt content, the water in the amazing lake remains liquid at a temperature of −10 ° C
The bloody waterfall in Antarctica, and the microorganisms living in it, lead scientists to conclusions about the existence of extraterrestrial life forms with similar conditions of a waterfall and an underground lake.
6
Sunken yacht
There is an attraction in Antarctica that attracts tourists and explorers. In 2012, a yacht with the beautiful and romantic name “Endless Sea” sank in Ardley Bay.
The yacht went to the shores of the southern mainland to make a documentary about nature and animals that live on the continent, but was sandwiched by ice, and eventually sank. Transparent waters allow you to see the hull of the yacht, and the icy deck creates a special natural special effect.
The yacht has become a kind of visible symbol of the inaccessibility and danger of the southernmost tip of the globe, because how many ships trying to reach the ice of Antarctica rest at the bottom of the oceans.
7
The vinson mountain range
The Vinson Massif is snugly located 1,200 kilometers from the South Pole, and is part of the Ellsworth Mountain System, considered the highest on the continent.
It stretches for 21 km, and the highest point is at an altitude of 4,982 m above sea level. The massif was discovered by American pilots in 1957. It was named after Karl Vinson, a well-known political figure in the United States.
Note that Vinson's Peak is part of the seven peaks global climbing project, which includes the highest peaks on six continents of the planet.
And on the pages of our most-beauty.ru you can also find out about the twelve highest peaks of the planet.
8
East Lake
Andrei Kapitsa predicted the existence of a subglacial lake near the Soviet Vostok station in the early 1950s. But officially, Russian polar explorers discovered it only in 1996.
With the help of drilling, attempts were made to reach the surface of the lake, but at a distance of 120 m the work was stopped. But a deep well remained, and the main reason for the shutdown was the justification of the problem of water pollution in a unique reservoir, and, consequently, ecosystem disruption.
According to scientists, Lake Vostok in Antarctica is a conserved ecosystem with living organisms of the Proterozoic period, and this is no less than 700-580 million years ago.
9
Don Juan Lake
The lake with such an intriguing name was discovered by two helicopter pilots in 1961, and in 1977, measuring the area, it was put on topographic maps. It is the most saline reservoir on the surface of the Earth. The salt content in it is exactly 40%. For comparison, the salinity of the Dead Sea is 33.7%, and that of the World Ocean is 3.5%.
The total surface of the lake decreases, as does its depth. At the time of discovery, the depth was 0.3 m, and today it does not exceed 0.1 m. Scientists, having examined the reservoir, confirmed that this is the place where groundwater emerged on the ice surface.
Another interesting point. In water, a high content of nitrous oxide was found, produced only by living organisms. But, interestingly, there are no living organisms in the waters of the lake.
10
Reception Island
Literally, the name of this unique island is translated as "deception", "scam." It was discovered during an expedition in 1820, and such an unusual name was given to him by Nathaniel Palmer.
One version says that sailors could not dock at all, since the island was constantly hidden in fog, which is why they called it the Island of Deception in their hearts. An active volcano is located on it, the activity of which was especially strong in the XVII-XVIII centuries.
If we consider the island’s vegetation, then this is a unique phenomenon for Antarctica, since more than 16 species of rare plants grow on its surface that are not found anywhere else on the planet. Such flora and fauna of the island is due to its geothermal activity. In some places of the reception, tourists can safely swim in the waters of hot springs.
11
Dry McMurdo Valley
The Antarctic desert is full of mysterious puzzles, and despite such a repulsive name, it is a land of magnificent landscapes. Especially beautiful views open in the area of dry valleys.
This is a series of snowless valleys that have not seen snow and rain for more than 2 million years, and are rightly considered the driest place on our planet. According to one version, they were formed as a result of strong winds, which sometimes blow here at a speed of more than 300 km / h. Some explain the appearance of such a phenomenon by high radiation or volcanic activity.
The surface and natural conditions are close in this place to the nature of Mars, because the Americans tested their spacecraft here, which were then sent to the Red Planet. It is surprising that sometimes the air temperature in such oases rises above 20 ° C, although it is usually 2-6 ° higher than the temperature in the region.
12
The Drake Strait
Antarctica can rightfully be considered the most amazing corner of the planet, because only along its shores does the Antarctic current circulate, which, carrying cold water, crosses all the Earth’s meridians.
It also passes through the largest strait on the planet, named after the pirate of Her Royal Highness Francis Drake. The strait is 820 km long, and it connects the waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.
In the southern part of the strait, you can encounter icebergs that move eastward and pose a great danger to research vessels.
13
Volcano Erebus
This volcano, named after one of the ships of the English expedition of Sir James Clark Ross, is by far the most southern of all active volcanoes on Earth. As you can see, both the ship and the volcano received the name of the ancient Greek god, born of Chaos.
The volcano was discovered in 1820, but the first ascent to its crater took place in 1908. Since then, studies have been constantly conducted on it, showing that the volcano was most active in the medieval period, and again woke up in the early 70s of the last century.
A tragic story is connected with Erebus, when a New Zealand airliner crashed into a mountainside. The victims of a major plane crash were 257 passengers and crew.
14
Paradise Harbor
Paradise Bay on the coast of Antarctica is the most visited place on the Southern Continent.
Skillfully and carefully maneuvering between the icebergs, the liners enter the magnificent harbor, from which you can admire the beauties of the Arctic nature, which is said from an arm's reach. Landing is not provided, but the white landscapes of the mainland and the ice glistening in the sun are especially beautiful from the water.
The warmest month on the southern continent is January, because it is during this period that cruise tours are activated to get acquainted with the magnificent expanses of Antarctica.
In the post-war period, it was decided that the mainland is a demilitarized zone, because Antarctica without weapons is used only for research purposes.
Despite the remoteness from the most important transport routes, from 30 to 50 thousand tourists visit Antarctica annually. On the continent, which is completely covered with ice, there is a tourist base and a special airfield for serving tourist routes. But the most common type of tourism here is cruising around the majestic and inaccessible white shores of the Southern continent.
Article author: Valery Skiba
Beautiful photos of Antarctica