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Cape Chelyuskin

Northernmost point of mainland Russia

Cape Chelyuskin мыс Челюскина
Cape
Location of Cape Chelyuskin at the northern end of the Taymyr Peninsula
Cape Chelyuskin
Coordinates: 77°44′0″N 104°15′0″E / 77.73333°N 104.25000°E / 77.73333; 104.25000
Location	Krasnoyarsk Krai,  Russia
Offshore water bodies	Kara Sea Laptev Sea

Cape Chelyuskin (Russian: Мыс Челюскина, Mys Chelyuskina) is the northernmost point of the Eurasian continent (and indeed of any continental mainland), and the northernmost point of mainland Russia. It is situated at the tip of the Taymyr Peninsula, south of Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. The headland has a 17-metre-high (56 ft) light on a framework tower.^[1]

Cape Chelyuskin is 1,370 kilometres (850 mi) from the North Pole. Cape Vega is a headland located a little to the west of Cape Chelyuskin. Oscar Bay lies between both capes.^[2]

History[edit]

The cape was first reached in May 1742 by an expedition on land party led by Semion Chelyuskin, and was initially called Cape East-Northern. It was renamed in honour of Chelyuskin by the Russian Geographical Society in 1842, on the 100th anniversary of the discovery.

It was passed on August 18, 1878, by Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld during the first sea voyage through the North-East Passage.

In 1919 Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen's ship Maud left behind two men, Peter Tessem and Paul Knutsen, at Cape Chelyuskin after having made winter quarters there. The Maud continued eastwards into the Laptev Sea and the men were instructed to wait for the freeze-up of the Kara Sea and then sledge southwestwards towards Dikson carrying Amundsen's mail. However, these two men disappeared mysteriously. In 1922 Nikifor Begichev led a Soviet expedition in search for Peter Tessem and Paul Knutsen on request of the government of Norway, but Begichev was not successful. Clues to their fate were not found until 1922.

Aweather and a hydrology research base named "Polar Station Cape Chelyuskin" was constructed in 1932, and headed by Ivan Papanin. It was renamed the "E. K. Fyodorov Hydrometeorological Observatory" in 1983. The station has a magnetic observatory and stands on the eastern side of the point.

Systematic geological survey for uranium began here in 1946–47 with industrial extraction between 1950 and 1952 in a mountain 150 km south of the cape proper.^[3]

The cape hosts the northernmost airfield in Afro-Eurasia, in operation at various locations since 1950.

Climate[edit]

Cape Chelyuskin has a tundra climate (Köppen climate classification ET), with no month having a low above freezing. Winters last year round, but may be broken up during the meteorological summer months by short spells of above average temperatures. Snowfall is usual year round, with every year experiencing snow during every month including summer. Sunshine hours peak during April, and begin to sharply drop off during the end of July or early August.

Photo gallery[edit]

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  Cape Chelyuskin, northernmost point of Russian and of Eurasian mainland; 77°43’22’’N, 104°15’13’’E
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  Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin
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  Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin
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  Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin
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  Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin
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  Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin

See also[edit]

• List of research stations in the Arctic
• List of northernmost items

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• William Barr, The Last Journey of Peter Tessem and Paul Knutsen, 1919.

External links[edit]

• 17th Century Cape Exploration note Archived 2014-10-26 at the Wayback Machine
• Russian-Soviet polar stations and their role in the Arctic Seas exploration
• North Pole Drifting Stations (1930s-1980s)