The 10th of February at 18:00 there will be held a lecture «Hello, Antarctica! On the 60th anniversary of the first Soviet expedition to Antarctica» in the Museum of Contemporary History of Russia
Leading scientific employee of a museum Natalia Karlyuchenko will tell about the little-known stories of the first Soviet Antarctic Expedition.
The Soviet Antarctic Expedition was organized in 1956 to prepare for the International Geophysical Year (1957). It consisted of both the season and wintering research teams in Antarctica. The scientists had the following objectives: study of atmospheric processes in the Antarctic and their influence on the general circulation of the air masses of the Earth, revealing the basic laws of motion in Antarctic waters, compilation of physical and geographical description of the region and glaciers, geological characteristics of the area, and creation of the research station on the coast of the mainland and organization of the base in its central region.
The 30th of November of 1955 the expedition flagship - diesel-electric ship named «Obj» under the command of Ivan Mann went from the port Kaliningrad to the first Antarctic flight.
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Diesel-electric ship named «Obj» was built in the year of 1953 by order of the Soviet Union at the shipyard «De Velde» in Vlissingen (Netherlands). In 1955 the ship was converted at the Riga shipyard to expeditionary research vessel. For the purpose of making scientific research nine laboratories there were equipped on the board of the vessel: the hydrological, meteorological, geophysical, hydro-chemical, biological and some other. The ship worked well in the ice, and in spite of having just one screw, had good maneuverability.
In the beginning of 1956 the vessel came up to the coast of the Davis Sea, where the search for the appropriate place for the organizing of the base by the land and air teams began. The 14th of January such place was found in the region of the Haswell island on the continental ice and rocks at the height of 35 meters above sea level at the geographic coordinates 66 ° 33 'south latitude and 93 ° 01' east longitude.
At that place the 13th of February of 1956 there was opening ceremony of the first Soviet Antarctic station «Mirniy», which is still being the main Russian Antarctic research base.
The unique exhibits from the museum's collection, which are connected with the events of the expedition, will be supplemented with personal memories of lecturer, whose father was one of the participants of the expedition.
The address of the Museum of Contemporary History of Russia: Tverskaya street, 21.
The entrance is free.