Benson Point

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Location of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands. Rugged-Island-location-map.png
Location of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands.
Topographic map of Livingston Island, Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands. Livingston-Island-Map-2010.jpg
Topographic map of Livingston Island, Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands.

Benson Point is the ice-free headland forming the southwest extremity of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is a northwest entrance point for Morton Strait. The area was known to early 19th century sealers.

Rugged Island (South Shetland Islands) island of the South Shetland Islands

Rugged Island is an island 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, lying west of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands. Its surface area is 10.4 square kilometres (4.0 sq mi). The island's summit San Stefano Peak rises to 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level. Rugged Island is located at 62°38′S61°15′W. Rugged Island was known to both American and British sealers as early as 1820, and the name has been well established in international usage for over 100 years.

South Shetland Islands A group of islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula

The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of 3,687 square kilometres (1,424 sq mi). They lie about 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between 430 kilometres (270 mi) to 900 kilometres (560 mi) south-west from the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for non-military purposes.

Antarctica Polar continent in the Earths southern hemisphere

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14,000,000 square kilometres, it is the fifth-largest continent. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Contents

The feature is named after Elof Benson, First Mate of the American brig Hersilia under Captain James Sheffield, which visited the South Shetlands in 1819–20 and 1820–21.

Location

The point is located at 62°39′S61°18′W / 62.650°S 61.300°W / -62.650; -61.300 Coordinates: 62°39′S61°18′W / 62.650°S 61.300°W / -62.650; -61.300 which is 3.2 km south by east of Cape Sheffield, 4.6 km west by south of Radev Point, 6.33 km west-northwest of Devils Point, Livingston Island and 7.16 km north by east of Cape Timblón, Snow Island (British mapping in 1968, detailed Spanish mapping in 1992, Argentine mapping in 1991, and Bulgarian in 2005 and 2009).

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

Cape Sheffield

Cape Sheffield is a cape forming the northwest extremity of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It was named for Captain James P. Sheffield, Master of the brig Hersilia of Stonington, Connecticut, in 1819–20 and 1820–21, the first American sealer known to have visited the South Shetland Islands. In 1819–20 he took 8,868 sealskins from headquarters at Rugged Island.

Radev Point

Radev Point is a point in the southeast extremity of Rugged Island off the west coast of Byers Peninsula of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is situated 4.5 km east of Benson Point, 1.05 km southwest of Vund Point, and 2.62 km west by south of Laager Point, Livingston Island.

Maps

International Standard Book Number Unique numeric book identifier

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Murgash Glacier

Murgash Glacier is the 3.4 km long and 3.2 km wide glacier on Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica situated southeast of Yakoruda Glacier, south of Teteven Glacier, southwest of Traub Glacier and west-northwest of Bravo Glacier. It is bounded by Lloyd Hill on the northwest, Tile Ridge on the east and Hebrizelm Hill on the southeast, and drains southwards into Kramolin Cove in McFarlane Strait between Yovkov Point and Kaspichan Point.

Svishtov Cove cove

Svishtov Cove is a 2.19 km wide cove indenting for 1.48 km the northwest extremity of Ray Promontory on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. it is entered southwest of Essex Point and northeast of Start Point.

Start Point (Livingston Island) headland of the South Shetland Islands

Start Point is a point marking the northwest end of Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and forming the southwest side of the entrance to Svishtov Cove and the northeast side of the entrance to the New Plymouth bay. Discovered by Edward Bransfield in January 1820, and so named by him because of its resemblance to a point on the south coast of England by the same name and because it was the place where his operations began.

Camp Byers Antarctic camp in Spain

Camp Byers is a Spanish seasonal base camp on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The locality is also designated for use as an International Field Camp. When necessary for scientific research purposes, temporary camping is allowed elsewhere under certain conditions.

Kokalyane Point

Kokalyane Point is the point on the west coast of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica forming the south side of the entrance to Bogomil Cove. Situated 810 m north-northwest of Benson Point, 970 m south of Ugain Point and 2.51 km south of Cape Sheffield.

Ugain Point

Ugain Point is the point on the west coast of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica separating Smyadovo Cove to the north and Bogomil Cove to the south. Situated 1.76 km north-northwest of Benson Point, 970 m north of Kokalyane Point and 1.55 km south of Cape Sheffield.

San Stefano Peak mountain in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

San Stefano Peak is a rocky peak rising to 256 m, the summit of Rugged Island off the west coast of Byers Peninsula of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Situated in the central part of the island, 3.48 km northeast of Benson Point, 4.17 km southeast of Cape Sheffield, 830 m south of Cherven Peak, 1.91 km west of Vund Point, and 1.58 km northwest of Radev Point.

Ivan Vladislav Point

Ivan Vladislav Point is a point on the north coast of Rugged Island off the west coast of Byers Peninsula of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica formed by an offshoot of Cherven Peak. Situated 1.63 km west-northwest of Herring Point, 400 m east-northeast of Simitli Point, and 3.27 km east-southeast of Cape Sheffield.

Herring Point

Herring Point is a point on the north coast of Rugged Island off the west coast of Byers Peninsula of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica forming the east side of the entrance to Hersilia Cove.

Edinburgh Hill

Edinburgh Hill is a narrow point projecting 650 m from the east coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica into McFarlane Strait and ending up in a conspicuous rocky hill of elevation 180 m. The point forms the northwest side of the entrance to Moon Bay. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Essex Point headland in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Essex Point is a point at the northwest end of Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It forms the west side of the entrance to Barclay Bay and the northeast side of the entrance to Svishtov Cove, and is surmounted by Drong Hill.

Cape Timblón

Cape Timblón is the conspicuous rocky cape forming the north extremity of Snow Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is a northwest entrance point for Morton Strait. The area was visited by 19th century sealers.

Window Island

Window Island is a small ice-free island off the north coast of Ray Promontory in the northwest of Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The island has a surface area of 23 hectares and rises to 72 m (236 ft). It was known to the early 19th century sealers operating on Byers Peninsula.

Point Smellie

Point Smellie is a small steep-sided headland extending into Osogovo Bay from President Beaches on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and dominated by Smellie Hill.

Eddystone Rocks (South Shetland Islands)

Eddystone Rocks is a group of two rocks lying to the northwest of Rugged Island off western Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Vodoley Rock

Vodoley Rock is the rock extending 220 m in northwest-southeast direction and 110 m wide in Barclay Bay on the west side of Ioannes Paulus II Peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating on nearby Byers Peninsula and Cape Shirreff.

Toledo Island

Toledo Island is the southern of two rocky islands in Smyadovo Cove on the west coast of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands. The feature is 320 m long in east-west direction and 110 m wide. It is separated from Rugged Island to the southeast and Prosechen Island to the north by 40 m and 60 m wide passages respectively. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Prosechen Island

Prosechen Island is the northern of two rocky islands in Smyadovo Cove on the west coast of Rugged Island in the South Shetland Islands. The feature is 500 m long in east-west direction and 140 m wide. It is separated from Rugged Island to the north and Toledo Island to the south by 70 m and 60 m wide passages respectively. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Bekas Rock

Bekas Rock is the 140 m long in southwest-northeast direction and 60 m wide rock lying west of Rugged Island on the west side of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

References

United States Geological Survey scientific agency of the United States government

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.

Geographic Names Information System geographical database

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer. GNIS was developed by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) to promote the standardization of feature names.