North Star Bay
Encyclopedia
North Star Bay is a bay
in Wolstenholme Fjord
, Greenland
.
The bay was the site of a Cold War nuclear accident when a B-52 bomber
carrying four thermonuclear bombs crashed, spreading contaminated material over the area. Thule Air Base
is located at the edge of the bay.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
in Wolstenholme Fjord
Wolstenholme Fjord
The Wolstenholme Fjord is located in the far northwest of Greenland, to the north of the Thule Air Base and adjacent to North Star Bay. The fjord is impressive due to its waters being fed by four large glaciers, and for this reason is sometimes referred to as "the world's largest ice machine"...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
The bay was the site of a Cold War nuclear accident when a B-52 bomber
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
carrying four thermonuclear bombs crashed, spreading contaminated material over the area. Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
is located at the edge of the bay.