First International Polar Year (IPY) 1881 to 1884
“The first International Polar Year (IPY) took place from 1881 to 1884, and was the first series of coordinated international expeditions to the Polar Regions ever undertaken. The first IPY, inspired by the Austrian explorer Carl Weyprecht, was the antecedent for other international research programs such as the landmark International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957 and the upcoming 4th International Polar Year, planned to begin in 2007.” NOAA Website
A full background history, observation results and photo library are available at the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration website: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/aro/ipy-1/index.htm