On 17 January 1773, Captain James Cook achieved a remarkable milestone in the annals of exploration by becoming the first known individual to cross the Antarctic Circle.
Aboard the HMS Resolution, Cook and his crew ventured into the frigid and uncharted waters of the Southern Ocean, reaching a latitude of 66° 33' S.
This daring expedition not only expanded the geographical knowledge of the time but also debunked the long-held myth of a great southern continent known as Terra Australis.
Cook's journey, fraught with the challenges of icebergs and severe weather, marked a significant leap in the age of exploration, opening up the mysterious Antarctic region to future explorers and scientists.