Description: (Russian Cartographer, Naval Officer, and Explorer)
Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen was a Russian cartographer, explorer, and naval officer who led an expedition that discovered Antarctica. He played a key role in the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe and was known for his significant contributions as a prominent cartographer and commander of ships in the Baltic and Black Sea Fleets. Bellingshausen was appointed to lead a Russian expedition to explore the Southern Ocean and search for land near the South Pole. He and his crew became the first explorers to sight Antarctica and made important discoveries in the Pacific Ocean.