Ascension Island British overseas territory United Kingdom

João da Nova, sailing for the Portuguese crown, is believed to have discovered a volcanic island about ten degrees below the equator in the South Atlantic between Africa and South America; he names it Ilha de Nossa Senhora da Conceição.

The first squadron of Afonso de Albuquerque, after making a stop at Cape Verde, strikes out in May into the Atlantic, following the South Atlantic Gyre.

Along the way, Albuquerque comes across Ascension Island.

Although the island had already been discovered back in 1501 by the Third Armada of João da Nova (and named ilha da Conceição then), Albuquerque renames it ilha da Ascensão because of it being Ascension Day (May 21), the name that has since stuck.

Strong southwesterly winds push them towards the coast of Brazil, where Albuquerque will make a brief stop to take on water (exactly where is uncertain), before making his push across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Cape.

Organized settlement of Ascension Island begins in 1815, when the British garrison it as a precaution after imprisoning Napoleon I on Saint Helena to the southeast.

On October 22 the Cruizer class brig-sloops Zenobia and Peruvian claim the island for His Britannic Majesty King George III.

The Royal Navy designates the island as a stone frigate, HMS Ascension, with the classification of "Sloop of War of the smaller class".

Charles Darwin climbs Green Hill, on Ascension Island, on July 20, 1836.

Challenger had left Montevideo at the end of February, heading first due east and then due north, arriving at Ascension Island at the end of March 1876.