Drygalski Island is an ice-capped island that is 11 nmi long and rises to 325 m in the Davis Sea of the Southern Ocean, about 85 km north of the coast of Queen Mary Land and 45 km north-northeast of Cape Filchner. The island has an area of 220 km2. Drygalski Island was first viewed from the continental Antarctic coast in November 1912 by members of the Western Base Party of the Australian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914), and observed more closely from Sir Douglas Mawson's ship Aurora on the homeward journey in January 1914. Because Drygalski Island was thought to be "Drygalski's High Land", charted by Professor Erich von Drygalski of the German Antarctic Expedition (1901-1903) in 1902, Drygalski's name was given by Sir Douglas Mawson to the island. A temporary field station named Mir was opened from 20 May to 6 August in 1960 on the island by the Soviet Union to study meteorological conditions.