Polar Exploration

Matthew Henson was the explorer and colleague of Robert E. Peary who was part of the first group of people to visit the North Pole.

The two men who led the great race to the South Pole were Roald Amundsen from Norway and Robert Falcon Scott from Britain. Amundsen successfully reached the South Pole first in 1911, while Scott and his team arrived a month later in 1912, but tragically perished on the return journey.

Rich is relative. Sir Robert Falcon Scott raised money for his second expedition to Antarctica: he could not afford to pay for it from his own funds.

His father owned a brewery, so Scott enjoyed a comfortable childhood. His adult life, however, was full of financial hardship.

New Zealands Scott Base on Ross Island is 1,370.64 kilometres, (851.676 miles) from the Geographical South Pole.

Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen took different routes to reach the South Pole. Scott's team approached from the Ross Ice Shelf up the Beardmore Glacier, while Amundsen's team approached from the Bay of Whales on the Ross Ice Shelf. Amundsen's route was ultimately more successful, as he reached the South Pole first in December 1911.

Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922) was a British explorer who commanded three expeditions to the Antarctic (1907-09, 1914-17, 1921-22), during which the South Magnetic Pole was located in 1909. His primary objective was to discover the South Pole, but was defeated by his use of ponies instead of huskies and heavy storms. The 1907-09 expedition got to within 178 km of the South Pole.

Opinions on Robert Falcon Scott vary. Some view him as a heroic explorer who undertook challenging expeditions to Antarctica, while others criticize his leadership and decision-making during the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, which led to the deaths of him and his team on their return journey from the South Pole.

Robert Falcon Scott was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer who led the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole in 1910-1913. Tragically, Scott and his team were beaten to the South Pole by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen and died on the return journey. Scott's journals were recovered and his expedition is remembered for its bravery and tragedy.

The south pole.

They actually set out on 1st November 1911.

When Amundsen arrived at the South Pole in 1911, navigation was a rather more complicated business. Navigation en route was done by dead reckoning, measuring distance with a distance wheel trailing the dog sleds and taking bearings with a compass adjusted for magnetic deviation, which is large and varying in the polar regions.

By the end of a day's travel, the navigator could hope to be within some hundred meters of the intended destination. At regular intervals more exact positions were taken by means of a sextant, a handheld instrument measuring the sun's elevation above the horizon. The solar elevation at noon would give the latitude, while the timing of the solar culmination with a chronometer would give the longitude. Extensive nautical tables and complicated calculations were involved.

At high latitudes the process tends to be even more complicated, because the longitudes converge and the solar orbit appears more and more level in relation to the horizon.

When Amundsen and his team arrived at what they initially estimated to be the South Pole on December 14, 1911, they eventually found themselves a few kilometers off the target. They spent the following three days and nights doing continuous solar observations with sextants and a theodolite, a precision surveying instrument, and eventually closed in on the actual pole with an accuracy of a couple of hundred meters. In 1911 this was quite a feat.

Today, finding your way across the vast emptiness of the Polar Plateau is very simple, with the aid of the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS).

The North Pole is usually located at the top of a standard world map. It is the point where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface in the Northern Hemisphere.

Robert Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909, using a combination of dog sleds, ships, and teams of indigenous Inuit guides. However, there is ongoing debate and controversy about the accuracy and legitimacy of his claim of reaching the North Pole.

Robert Peary hired Matthew Henson as his navigator and assistant on several Arctic expeditions, including the 1909 expedition to the North Pole. Henson played a crucial role in the success of these expeditions, using his skills in navigation and experience with Inuit culture to help Peary reach the North Pole.

Richard E. Byrd explored Antarctica for a total of five expeditions spanning from 1928 to 1956, covering a period of about 28 years.

Ernest Shackleton used a variety of equipment during his Antarctic expeditions, including sled dogs, sledges, tents, clothing made from fur and wool, scientific instruments for navigation and observation, and special provisions like canned foods and pemmican. He also utilized innovative technologies like ski bindings and a specially designed lifeboat, the James Caird, during his famous Endurance expedition.

Sir John Franklin discovered many lands during his exploration of the Arctic, including parts of northern Canada and the Arctic archipelago. He is most famous for his attempts to navigate the Northwest Passage.

Admiral Robert Peary faced extreme weather conditions, treacherous terrain, limited resources, and logistical challenges during his Arctic expeditions in search of the North Pole. Additionally, he encountered resistance from the indigenous Inuit people, who he relied on for survival in the harsh environment. Peary's expeditions were also marred by controversies surrounding the accuracy of his claims to have reached the North Pole.

US Navy Read Admiral Richard E Byrd established the first Little America base. Since that time, five more were established, and as of 2016, they have all flowed off the ice into the Southern Ocean because they were established on ice.

The Bering Strait is named after Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer in the service of the Russian Navy who led expeditions in the area in the 18th century.

The first undisputed expedition to reach the North Pole was led by American explorer Robert E. Peary in 1909. He claimed to have reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909. However, there is some controversy surrounding whether he actually reached the exact geographic North Pole.

Scientists exploring polar regions typically use specialized gear such as ice picks, snowshoes, skis, snowmobiles, and tents for travel and shelter on ice and snow. They also use advanced technology like GPS devices, satellite imagery, drones, and ice coring equipment to conduct research on glaciers, ice sheets, climate change, and polar ecosystems. Warm clothing, insulated boots, and survival gear are essential for protection against the extreme cold and harsh conditions of polar environments.

Ernest Shackleton went to Antarctica to lead the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914-1917. His goal was to be the first to cross the continent from one side to the other via the South Pole.

Robert Edwin Peary was an American explorer who is known for leading the first expedition to reach the geographic North Pole in 1909. Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole in 1911, beating rival explorer Robert Falcon Scott.

Douglas Mawson set up a scientific research station on Macquarie Island to study the island's geology, biology, and meteorology. The station provided valuable data for understanding the Southern Ocean ecosystem and climate.