Cairns Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cairns Glacier |
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Location of Sentinel Range in Western Antarctica
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 Location in Antarctica
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| Type | tributary |
| Location | Ellsworth Land |
| Coordinates | 78°34′S 86°00′W / 78.567°S 86.000°W |
| Thickness | unknown |
| Terminus | Nimitz Glacier |
| Status | unknown |
Cairns Glacier is a large river of ice found in Antarctica. It is located on the western side of the Vinson Massif, which is a very tall mountain range. This glacier is part of the Sentinel Range, a group of mountains in Ellsworth Land.
Where is Cairns Glacier?
Cairns Glacier flows between two other glaciers, Branscomb Glacier and Tulaczyk Glacier. It moves southwestwards, following the northwest side of a peak called Brichebor Peak. As it leaves the mountain range, Cairns Glacier joins up with another large glacier, the Nimitz Glacier. This meeting point is southeast of Klenova Peak. Think of it like a smaller river (Cairns Glacier) flowing into a bigger river (Nimitz Glacier).
Who is Cairns Glacier Named After?
Cairns Glacier was named in 2006 by a group called the US-ACAN. This stands for the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names. They chose to name it after Stephen Douglas Cairns. He was a research zoologist, which means he studied animals, especially those without backbones. Mr. Cairns worked at the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the National Museum of Natural History, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. He worked there for many years, from 1985 to 2006. He also helped with a scientific publication called the Antarctic Research Series.
