Winston Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Winston Glacier |
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Location of Heard Island and McDonald Islands on the globe
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| Type | cirque/tidewater |
| Location | Heard Island Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands Australia |
| Coordinates | 53°9′S 73°38′E / 53.150°S 73.633°E |
| Thickness | approximately 55 meters |
| Terminus | Winston Lagoon, between Cape Lockyer and Oatt Rocks |
| Status | Retreating |
A glacier is a huge, slow-moving river of ice. The Winston Glacier (53°9′S 73°38′E / 53.150°S 73.633°E) is one such ice river. It is found on Heard Island, which is a small island in the southern Indian Ocean. This island is part of the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, which belongs to Australia.
Winston Glacier flows down to a place called Winston Lagoon. This lagoon is on the southeast side of Heard Island. The end of the glacier, called its terminus, reaches into Winston Lagoon. It sits between two land features: Cape Lockyer and Oatt Rocks.
This glacier is about 55 meters thick, which is like stacking 18-story buildings on top of each other! It is also a "tidewater" glacier. This means its end flows directly into the ocean or a lagoon connected to the ocean. Sadly, Winston Glacier is currently "retreating," which means it is getting smaller.
Winston Glacier has some icy neighbors. To its northeast, you'll find the Stephenson Glacier. Its end is located between Dovers Moraine and Stephenson Lagoon. To the southwest of Winston Glacier is the Fiftyone Glacier. Its end is found between Lavett Bluff and Lambeth Bluff.
Discovering and Naming Winston Glacier
How Explorers Found It
The Winston Glacier was first explored and mapped in 1948. This survey was done by a group called ANARE. ANARE stands for the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions. These expeditions are important for studying the cold, icy regions around Antarctica.
Giving the Glacier Its Name
The name "Winston Glacier" was officially given in 1964. It was named by the Antarctic Names Committee of Australia (ANCA). This committee is responsible for naming places in the Antarctic region. The glacier was named because it is very close to Winston Lagoon, which was already known.
