Difference between revisions of "Template:Westarctica.wiki:Today's featured article"

 
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[[File:McMurdo.jpg|300px|left]]
[[File:Balleny Map1.jpg|250px|left]]
'''[[McMurdo Station]]''' is a United States Antarctic research center on the south tip of [[Ross Island]], which is in the New Zealand-claimed [[Ross Dependency]] on the shore of McMurdo Sound in [[Antarctica]]. It is operated by the United States through the United States Antarctic Program, a branch of the National Science Foundation. The station is the largest community in Antarctica, capable of supporting up to 1,258 residents, and serves as one of three United States Antarctic science facilities. All personnel and cargo going to or coming from [[Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station]] first pass through McMurdo.
The '''[[Balleny Islands]]''' are a series of uninhabited islands in the [[Southern Ocean]] extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. [[glacier|Glaciers]] project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot.  They were originally claimed by the United Kingdom, and were then transferred to New Zealand before becoming annexed by [[Westarctica]] in 2005.


The station owes its designation to nearby McMurdo Sound, named after Lieutenant Archibald McMurdo of HMS ''Terror'', which first charted the area in 1841 under the command of British explorer [[James Clark Ross]]. British explorer [[Robert Falcon Scott]] first established a base close to this spot in 1902 and built Discovery Hut, still standing adjacent to the harbor at Hut Point. The volcanic rock of the site is the southernmost bare ground accessible by ship in the Antarctic. The United States officially opened its first station at McMurdo on 16 February 1956. Founders initially called the station Naval Air Facility McMurdo. On 28 November 1957, [[Admiral George J. Dufek]] was present with a U.S. congressional delegation during a change of command ceremony.
The group includes three main islands: [[Young Island|Young]], [[Buckle Island|Buckle]] and [[Sturge Island|Sturge]], which lie in a line from northwest to southeast, and several smaller islets and rocks. On 15 March 2024, [[Grand Duke Travis]] appointed his son, [[Crown Prince Ashton Roman]] as [[Viceroy]] of the Balleny Islands. This position is currently the highest authority in the islands and exercises the power of the Westarctican Crown within the colony. The viceroy has the authority to dismiss the governor if he wishes.


'''([[McMurdo Station|Full Article...]])'''
'''([[Balleny Islands|Full Article...]])'''

Latest revision as of 16:18, 19 May 2024

Balleny Map1.jpg

The Balleny Islands are a series of uninhabited islands in the Southern Ocean extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. Glaciers project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot. They were originally claimed by the United Kingdom, and were then transferred to New Zealand before becoming annexed by Westarctica in 2005.

The group includes three main islands: Young, Buckle and Sturge, which lie in a line from northwest to southeast, and several smaller islets and rocks. On 15 March 2024, Grand Duke Travis appointed his son, Crown Prince Ashton Roman as Viceroy of the Balleny Islands. This position is currently the highest authority in the islands and exercises the power of the Westarctican Crown within the colony. The viceroy has the authority to dismiss the governor if he wishes.

(Full Article...)