Eights Coast
Encyclopedia
Eights Coast is that portion of the coast of West Antarctica
between Cape Waite
and Pfrogner Point
. To the west is Walgreen Coast
of Marie Byrd Land
, and to the east is Bryan Coast
. It is part of Ellsworth Land
and stretches between 103°24'W and 89°35'W. This coast is bordered by Thurston Island
, Abbot Ice Shelf
and some islands within the ice shelf. It was sighted by members of the US Antarctic Service (USAS) in flights from the ship from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–66. Most of Eights Coast is not claimed by any nation, like Marie Byrd Land
, the large region west of it. Only in the east, Eights Coast touches the sector claimed by Chile
as part of its southernmost province. Peter I Island
, 450 km north of the coast, is claimed by Norway
as a dependency.
Eights Coast was named by US-SCAN for James Eights
of Albany, New York
, geologist
on the Annawan in 1830, who carried on geologic investigations in the South Shetland Islands
, and who cruised westward on the Annawan, in company with the Penguin, to 103° W. Eights, the earliest American scientist in the Antarctic, discovered the first known fossil
s in the Antarctic region, a tree section, in the South Shetland Islands. As a result of these investigations Eights, in 1833, published in the Transactions of the Albany Institute (Vol. 2) what proved to be remarkably accurate observations and conclusions on the natural phenomena of the region.
West Antarctica
West Antarctica, or Lesser Antarctica, one of the two major regions of Antarctica, is the part of the continent that lies within the Western Hemisphere including the Antarctic Peninsula.-Location and description:...
between Cape Waite
Cape Waite
Cape Waite is a cape at the northwest extremity of King Peninsula, marking the southwest side of the entrance to Peacock Sound. Delineated from air photos taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump in December 1946. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Amory H...
and Pfrogner Point
Pfrogner Point
Pfrogner Point is an ice-covered point on the northwest extension of Fletcher Peninsula; it is partially encompassed by the Abbot Ice Shelf. The point marks the division of Eights Coast and Bryan Coast. Mapped by United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961-66....
. To the west is Walgreen Coast
Walgreen Coast
The Walgreen Coast is a portion of the coast of Antarctica between Cape Herlacher and Cape Waite, or between Bakutis Coast in the west, and Eights Coast. It is the easternmost part of Marie Byrd Land. It stretches from 114°12'W to 103°24'W. Eights Coast to the east is already part of Ellsworth Land...
of Marie Byrd Land
Marie Byrd Land
Marie Byrd Land is the portion of West Antarctica lying east of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean, extending eastward approximately to a line between the head of the Ross Ice Shelf and Eights Coast. It stretches between 158°W and 103°24'W...
, and to the east is Bryan Coast
Bryan Coast
Bryan Coast is that portion of the coast of Antarctica along the south shore of the Bellingshausen Sea between Pfrogner Point and the northern tip of the Rydberg Peninsula. To the west is Eights Coast, and to the east is English Coast...
. It is part of Ellsworth Land
Ellsworth Land
Ellsworth Land is that portion of the Antarctic continent bounded on the west by Marie Byrd Land, on the north by Bellingshausen Sea, on the northeast by the base of Antarctic Peninsula, and on the east by the western margin of Ronne Ice Shelf. It extends between 103°24'W and 79°45'W...
and stretches between 103°24'W and 89°35'W. This coast is bordered by Thurston Island
Thurston Island
Thurston Island is an ice-covered, glacially dissected island, long, wide and in area, lying a short way off the NW end of Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. It is the third largest island of Antarctica, after Alexander Island and Berkner Island...
, Abbot Ice Shelf
Abbot Ice Shelf
The Abbot Ice Shelf is an ice shelf long and wide, bordering Eights Coast from Cape Waite to Phrogner Point in Antarctica. Thurston Island lies along the northern edge of the western half of this ice shelf; other sizable islands lie partly or wholly within this shelf.The ice shelf was sighted by...
and some islands within the ice shelf. It was sighted by members of the US Antarctic Service (USAS) in flights from the ship from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–66. Most of Eights Coast is not claimed by any nation, like Marie Byrd Land
Marie Byrd Land
Marie Byrd Land is the portion of West Antarctica lying east of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean, extending eastward approximately to a line between the head of the Ross Ice Shelf and Eights Coast. It stretches between 158°W and 103°24'W...
, the large region west of it. Only in the east, Eights Coast touches the sector claimed by Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
as part of its southernmost province. Peter I Island
Peter I Island
Peter I Island is an uninhabited volcanic island in the Bellingshausen Sea, from Antarctica. It is claimed as a dependency of Norway, and along with Queen Maud Land and Bouvet Island comprises one of the three Norwegian dependent territories in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic. Peter I Island is ...
, 450 km north of the coast, is claimed by Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
as a dependency.
Eights Coast was named by US-SCAN for James Eights
James Eights
James Eights was an American physician, scientist, and artist. He was born in Albany, New York, the son of physician Jonathan Eights and Alida Wynkoop...
of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
on the Annawan in 1830, who carried on geologic investigations in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . 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...
, and who cruised westward on the Annawan, in company with the Penguin, to 103° W. Eights, the earliest American scientist in the Antarctic, discovered the first known fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s in the Antarctic region, a tree section, in the South Shetland Islands. As a result of these investigations Eights, in 1833, published in the Transactions of the Albany Institute (Vol. 2) what proved to be remarkably accurate observations and conclusions on the natural phenomena of the region.