Nearly two centuries ago, Russian sailors discovered Antarctica, putting an end to speculation about the continent’s existence. On January 28, 1820 (January 16 according to the Gregorian calendar), while on a naval expedition around the globe, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev approached the ice-covered continent at 69°21'28" south latitude and 2°14'50" west longitude. Over a century later, Norwegian explorers reached Antarctica and called it the Princess Martha Coast.