THE CHALLENGER VOYAGE
The Challenger Expedition was a scientific exploration that made the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the mother vessel, HMS Challenger. The voyage of the HMS Challenger set sail, embarked from the very first time, started from Portsmouth, England on December 21, 1872 to 1876 to unravel the mysteries of the deep sea.
Two biologists, Professor William Benjamin Carpenter and Charles Wyville Thomson were the one who proposed the Challenger expedition. According to Natural History Museum, they were convinced that life in the deep sea was possible despite the cold, darkness, and high pressure. The UK Treasury supported this idea, and provided £200,000.
The ship HMS Challenger was directly chosen. Although the ship was modified and chemical laboratory, workroom, and a library was added. Five scientists and one artist were chosen along, these scientists came from different nationalities, including Britain, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. This expedition was also attracted public interest.
According to Dive and Discover, Challenger first traveled south from England to the South Atlantic, and then goes around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern top of Africa. Then headed across the wide and rough seas of the southern India Ocean, crossing Antarctic Circle, and then to Australia and New Zealand. Afterwards, it headed north to the Hawaiian Islands, and then south around Cape Horn, at the southern tip of South America where Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet. After more exploration in Atlantic, HMS Challenger returned back to England in 1875.
The voyage of HMS Challenger covered more than 68,000 nautical miles in the Atlantic, Pacific and Antarctic oceans and took around 4 years journey. This voyage yields a wealth of information about marine environment. The voyages navigated the globe. A lot of organisms were identified, including data gathering at 362 oceanographic stations on temperature, currents, water, chemistry, and ocean floor deposits.
Among the discoveries, Challenger expedition found the deepest part of the ocean, which is the Marianas Trench in Western pacific. Marianas Trench has 26,850 feet seafloor, more than 4 miles deep. The expedition also revealed the first outline of the shape of ocean basin, including a rise in the middle of Atlantic ocean, now it is called Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Challenger expedition is very important for marine biology. Because for the first ever time, scientists could prove that life exist on the deep oceans. The collected specimens found on deep-sea bed are now in the Museum’s collection and still being studied by scientists on the world today.
By: Diemas Ekakarina Prihandini
(Below is a picture of HMS Challenger crew)
Two biologists, Professor William Benjamin Carpenter and Charles Wyville Thomson were the one who proposed the Challenger expedition. According to Natural History Museum, they were convinced that life in the deep sea was possible despite the cold, darkness, and high pressure. The UK Treasury supported this idea, and provided £200,000.
The ship HMS Challenger was directly chosen. Although the ship was modified and chemical laboratory, workroom, and a library was added. Five scientists and one artist were chosen along, these scientists came from different nationalities, including Britain, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. This expedition was also attracted public interest.
According to Dive and Discover, Challenger first traveled south from England to the South Atlantic, and then goes around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern top of Africa. Then headed across the wide and rough seas of the southern India Ocean, crossing Antarctic Circle, and then to Australia and New Zealand. Afterwards, it headed north to the Hawaiian Islands, and then south around Cape Horn, at the southern tip of South America where Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet. After more exploration in Atlantic, HMS Challenger returned back to England in 1875.
The voyage of HMS Challenger covered more than 68,000 nautical miles in the Atlantic, Pacific and Antarctic oceans and took around 4 years journey. This voyage yields a wealth of information about marine environment. The voyages navigated the globe. A lot of organisms were identified, including data gathering at 362 oceanographic stations on temperature, currents, water, chemistry, and ocean floor deposits.
Among the discoveries, Challenger expedition found the deepest part of the ocean, which is the Marianas Trench in Western pacific. Marianas Trench has 26,850 feet seafloor, more than 4 miles deep. The expedition also revealed the first outline of the shape of ocean basin, including a rise in the middle of Atlantic ocean, now it is called Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Challenger expedition is very important for marine biology. Because for the first ever time, scientists could prove that life exist on the deep oceans. The collected specimens found on deep-sea bed are now in the Museum’s collection and still being studied by scientists on the world today.
By: Diemas Ekakarina Prihandini
(Below is a picture of HMS Challenger crew)