the first confirmed sighting of antarctica were by three different men. according to different organizations, ships captained by three men saw antarctica in 1820. the three men were fabian von bellingshausen (a captain in the russian imperial navy), edward bransfield (a captain in the royal navy), and nathaniel palmer (an american seal hunter out of stonington, connecticut). the first recorded landing on mainland antarctica was by the american sealer john davis. he landed on west antarctica on 7 february 1821. however, some historians are not sure about this claim.