Aurora Islands

The Aurora Islands were a group of three phantom islands first reported in 1762 by the Spanish merchant ship *Aurora* while traveling from Lima to Cadiz. The islands were sighted again in 1774 and later in 1794 by the Spanish survey ship *Atrevida*, which placed them at approximately 53°S, 48°W, halfway between the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Their latitude was considered accurate, but the longitude was based on calculations from the San Fernando observatory in Cádiz. The islands last appeared on maps of the South Atlantic until the 1870s, despite being last reportedly sighted in 1856. Amerigo Vespucci may have encountered these islands during his 1501-1502 voyage with a Portuguese expedition. In his "Lettera" of 1504, he described sailing to 52°S and discovering an island 20 leagues long, with wild coasts and no signs of habitation or harbors. However, this description does not match the Falkland Islands, which were then undiscovered. Vespucci's account also includes unusual details, such as a 15-hour night in early autumn, which suggest extreme cold and stormy conditions. Several theories have been proposed to explain the persistent sightings of the Aurora Islands, including massive icebergs or the possibility that they sank. Raymond Ramsay dismissed these explanations, calling them one of the great unsolved maritime mysteries. Stephen Royle noted that volcanic islands have been known to disappear in recent times, offering a potential but unproven explanation. The Aurora Islands are also mentioned in literature, such as Barbara Hodgson's 2001 novel *Hippolyte's Island* and an episode in ...