Discovery of Antarctica - the seventh continent

A cover from Russia 🇷🇺 

Bicentenary of the First Antarctic Expedition 

Date of issue : 17-07-2019

First Russian Antarctic Expedition of 1819-1821 was a sea voyage led by Bellingshausen and Lazarevfrom 1819 to 1821 to the Southern Ocean to prove or disprove the existence of a seventh continent — Antarctica.

On 28 January [O.S. 16 January] 1820 the expedition discovered Antarctica and approached it at 69° 21' 28" South, 2° 14' 50" West^[7] (now on Bellingshausen Ice Shelf [ru]near Princess Martha Coast). In January 1821 the expedition rounded the western side of Antarctica and made several geographical discoveries. 

After a 751-day voyage, the Vostok and Mirnyreturned to Kronstadt on 5 August [O.S. 24 July] 1821. There they were met by Emperor Alexander I.

The expedition created a unique scientific collection (stored at Kazan University) and pictures of Antarctic landscapes and animals.

Thanks Alexander for the cover !