Ross Island

Ross Island
Geography
Location	Antarctica
Coordinates	77°40′S 168°00′E / 77.667°S 168.000°ECoordinates: 77°40′S 168°00′E / 77.667°S 168.000°E
Area	2,460 km2 (950 sq mi)
Elevation	3,794 m (12,448 ft)
Country
	Antarctica

Ross Island is an island which was formed by four volcanoes in the Ross Sea, which can be found near the continent, Antarctica.

orthographic projection centred over Ross Island

Land fast sea ice in the foreground. Ross Island in the background. 77° 30′ S Latitude 168° 00′ E Longitude.

Geography

Because of the persistent presence of the ice sheet, the island is sometimes mistaken to be a part of Antarctica. Its area is 2,460 km² (950 sq mi); only a small portion of the island is free of ice and snow. The planet's southernmost active volcano, Erebus (3794 m), as well as the dormant volcano Terror (3230 m), are situated on the island. They were named by Ross after his ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. The third highest peak is Mount Bird, and on its slopes are Shell Glacier and Endeavour Piedmont Glacier. Abbott Peak stands between Mount Erebus and Mount Bird.

Despite its relatively small size, Ross Island is the world's 6th highest island.

Discovery

The island was discovered by Sir James Clark Ross in 1841, and it was later named in his honour by Robert F. Scott.

Ross Island was the base for many of the early expeditions to Antarctica. It was and still is the southernmost island reachable by sea. Huts built by Scott's and Shackleton's expeditions are still located on the island, preserved as historical sites.

Today Ross Island is home to New Zealand's Scott Base, and the largest Antarctic settlement, the U.S. Antarctic Program's McMurdo Station. Greenpeace established World Park Base on the island and it ran for five years, from 1987 to 1992.

Claims

Ross Island lies within the boundaries of Ross Dependency, which is claimed by New Zealand.

Wildlife

Ross Island supports a colony of about a half million (500 000) Adélie Penguins.

Ross Island Media

Ross Island's Castle Rock was discovered and named by the Robert Falcon Scott British Antarctica Expedition of 1901-4
Topographic map of Ross Island, Antarctica.*ST 57-60/6* (extended). Scale 1:250,000. 1972.*Lambert Conformal Conic, standard parallels. Compiled in 1962 from US Navy tricamera aerial photographs taken 1956-1960. Revised from US Navy tricamera photographs taken 1967-1970.
Observation hill overlooks McMurdo Station
Scott Base, the New Zealand research station in the Antarctic, as seen on November 12, 2016, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited neighboring McMurdo Station and other U.S. research facilities around Ross Island and the Ross Sea in an effort to learn about the effects of climate change on the Continent. [State Department Photo/ Public Domain]
Ross Island and McMurdo Sound. (south is up)
Aerial view of the tip of Hut Point Peninsula with McMurdo Station on the near side and Scott Base on the far side. Mount Terror in the background
Looking at Ross Island from McMurdo Sound
Barne Glacier
Pressure ridges on Ross Island as seen from the sea ice near New Zealand's Scott Base.
Orthographic projection centered over Ross Island