Jackson Island
Jackson Island (Russian: Остров Джексона, Ostrov Dzheksona) is an island located in Franz Josef Land, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russian Federation. This island is part of the Zichy Land subgroup of the central part of the archipelago.
| Остров Джексона | |
|---|---|
 Location of Jackson Island in the Franz Josef Archipelago. | |
  Jackson Island | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | title 81.2297222°N 56.6288889°E |
| Archipelago | Franz Josef Land |
| Area | 510 km2 (200 sq mi) |
| Length | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Width | 30 km (19 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 481 m (1,578 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Geography
Jackson Island's east-west extension is about 40 km (25 mi), and the maximum distance from north to south is 30 km (19 mi).
On the northwest shore of the island is De Long Bay. Named after ill-fated American Arctic explorer George W. DeLong, this bay separates the island into two almost even peninsulas. From the south, this bay is bounded by Cape Bystrova, named in 1963 in honor of outstanding Russian paleontologist A.P. Bystrow.
Jackson Island is named in honor of English polar voyager Frederick Jackson. He explored and named several islands, among other geographical features, in Franz Josef Land. The Jackson-Harmsworth Arctic Expedition (1894–1897) was sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society.
History
Cape Norway (81°12′N 55°37′E) on the western part of the island was where Fridtjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen wintered in 1895-96 after failing to reach the North Pole. A hut and a wooden post still remain.
Adjacent islands
- Ostrova Alexandra (Острова Александра; Alexander Islands) is a group of small islands located right off the northwestern tip of Jackson Island, close to the shore. This island group was named after Field Marshal Alexander von Krobatin (1849–1933), a supporter of the Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition, who served as Austria-Hungary's Minister of War from 1912-17. Ostrov Sputnik is located at lat 81° 21' N; long 55° 35' E. These small islands should not be confused with Alexandra Land located westwards in the same archipelago.
- Ostrov Ommani (Остров Оммани; Ommanney Island) is a small crescent-shaped island located 11 km (6.8 mi) off the northwestern tip of Jackson Island. This island was named after Arctic veteran Sir Erasmus Ommanney, who went in 1850 on the Austin and Ommaney Expedition, searching for Sir John Franklin.[1]
- Ostrov Kharly (Остров Харли; Harley Island) is a 10 km (6.2 mi) long and narrow island. It lies 15 km (9.3 mi) off Jackson Island's western shores. Highest point 82 m (269 ft). This island is named after Scottish physician George Harley (1829–96).[2]
- Ostrov Levanevskogo (Остров Леваневского; Levanevsky Island) is a small island just 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Harley Island's southern tip. This island was named in honor of Soviet pilot Sigismund Levanevsky, sometimes called the "Russian Lindbergh", who was lost in the Arctic in 1937-38 and whose remains have not been found.
- Ostrov Klyn (Остров Клинг; Kling Island) is a small island lying 4 km (2.5 mi) to the west of Jackson Island's southwestern tip. This island was named after Captain Alfred Kling who took part in the Wilhelm Filchner 1911-1912 German expedition to the Antarctic.
- Ostrov Nich (Остров Нич) is a small island located in the DeLong Bay.
- Off Jackson Island's eastern shore lie two small islands called Ostrova Mak-Gi (Острова Макги; Magee Islands). These were named after Billy Magee who accompanied Ernest Oberholtzer in his epic 1912 3,000-mile (4,800 km) Arctic exploration trip.
- Ostrov Kverini (Остров Кверини; Querini Island) is an island located by the shore in the bay that lies on Jackson Island's southern coast. This island is named after Italian explorer Francesco Querini who heroically lost his life in the Cegni polar expedition of 1909.
External links
- Map of Jackson Island (in Russian). Red arrow indicates the position of Cap Bystrova.
- (in Russian) Arctic exploration
