Captain James Cook was a British explorer and navigator born on October 27, 1728. He is best known for his three voyages across the Pacific Ocean, during which he mapped many areas, including the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. Cook's expeditions greatly expanded European knowledge of the Pacific region and contributed to the age of exploration. Cook's first voyage began in 1768, and he was the first European to make contact with the eastern coast of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. He also played a significant role in the scientific study of the Pacific, including observations of the transit of Venus in 1769. Cook was killed in Hawaii in 1779 during his third voyage.