Round Gallery

HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, 1845

Engraving showing HMS Erebus (left) and HMS Terror, pictured on the River Thames, 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in 1845 and none of the men were ever seen again. In fact the ships made it to the King William Island region, then got stuck in the ice. With supplies running out the surviving crew abandoned ship and headed south. However, none made it to safety and it is assumed all died from disease, exposure or starvation. From 1848 onwards a number of relief expeditions were sent to find Franklin, but it was only in 1859 that Francis Leopold McClintock was able to confirm Franklin's fate

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10217704

Light echoes from exploding star

Light echoes from an exploding star. Hubble Space Telescope image of an illuminated dust shell around the star v838 Monocerotis. This star underwent a massive brightening in January 2002, temporarily becoming the brightest star in the galaxy. The light from this outburst reflects from a series of dust shells around the star, which are thought to have been ejected during previous activity. The phenomenon allows study of the fine structure of the dust shells, which could help explain why the star behaves as it does. This image was taken on 8th February 2004 by the Advanced Camera for Surveys

© NASA/ESA/STSCI/H.BOND/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Captain Francis Crozier of HMS Terror, 1845

Engraving of Captain Francis Crozier (1796-1848) of HMS Terror, pictured shortly before departing on the ill-fated Franklin Arctic expedition of 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in 1845 and none of the men were ever seen again. In fact the ships made it to the King William Island region, then got stuck in the ice. With supplies running out the surviving crew abandoned ship and headed south. However, none made it to safety and it is assumed all died from disease, exposure or starvation. From 1848 onwards a number of relief expeditions were sent to find Franklin, but it was only in 1859 that Francis Leopold McClintock was able to confirm Franklin's fate

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10217699