Hearst Island facts for kids
 Hearst Island
Location in Antarctica
Location in Antarctica
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 69°25′S 62°10′W / 69.417°S 62.167°W |
| Area | 871 km2 (336 sq mi) |
| Length | 67 km (41.6 mi) |
| Width | 13 km (8.1 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 365 m (1,198 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Hearst Island is a large island covered in ice, shaped like a dome. It is located in a very cold part of the world called Antarctica. You can find it in the Weddell Sea, off the eastern coast of Palmer Land.
This island is about 67 kilometers (42 miles) long from north to south. It is also about 13 kilometers (8 miles) wide. Hearst Island rises quite high, reaching about 365 meters (1,198 feet) above the sea.
Discovery of Hearst Island
Hearst Island was first seen from an airplane on December 20, 1928. The pilot was a famous explorer named Sir Hubert Wilkins. He thought this icy land was part of the main continent of Antarctica.
Sir Wilkins named it Hearst Land. He did this to thank William Randolph Hearst, who helped pay for his expedition.
Confirming it's an Island
In 1940, members of the United States Antarctic Service (USAS) explored this coast. They traveled by land and air. They saw the same area again and realized it was actually an island, not part of the mainland.
The USAS team named it Wilkins Island. However, later studies of aerial photographs showed something interesting. This large island was the same land that Sir Wilkins had called Hearst Land. So, the original name, Hearst Island, was kept.
