Episode 2 of 2
Sighting of Saint Helena
- When
- May 21, 1502 (disputed)
- Where
- Saint Helena
João da Nova is traditionally credited with discovering Saint Helena in 1502 during his return voyage from India.
Common accounts state da Nova discovered the island on May 21, 1502, the feast day of Helena of Constantinople. However, a 2015 paper suggests this specific date was first mentioned in 1596, and a 2022 review notes that contemporary maps and logs do not confirm da Nova found Saint Helena, only Ascension.
Sources
- João da Nova Wikipedia, revision of 2026-03-06
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.