James Cook's Second Voyage Crosses Antarctic Circle
What happened
Captain James Cook aboard HMS Resolution becomes the first recorded European to cross the Antarctic Circle (January 17, 1773), circumnavigating high southern latitudes and reaching 71°10'S, disproving the existence of a vast habitable Terra Australis.
Literary impact
James Cook's second voyage crossing the Antarctic Circle in 1773 inspired Romantic poets to explore themes of the sublime and the unknown. Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' exemplifies this influence, using icy imagery and isolation to reflect on human limits and the vastness of nature.
Source: Wikipedia
