Hearst Island facts for kids
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| 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 an ice-covered, dome-shaped island lying 7 km (4 nmi) east of Cape Rymill, in the Weddell Sea, off the eastern coast of Palmer Land. The island is 67 km (36 nmi) long, in a north-south direction, 13 km (7 nmi) wide, and rises to 365 m (1,198 ft).
It was first sighted on a flight on December 20, 1928 by Sir Hubert Wilkins. Thinking it was part of the mainland of Antarctica, he named it Hearst Land, for William Randolph Hearst who helped finance the expedition. It was resighted and its insularity ascertained in 1940 by members of the USAS who explored this coast by land and from the air. They named it Wilkins Island. Examination of aerial photographs have shown, however, that this large island is what Wilkins considered Hearst Land.
