Archive - Arizona Meteor Crater
April 16, 2017
Each Sunday we present a notable item from our archives. This EPOD was originally published April 25, 2003.
Provided and copyright by: Jean Chiasson
Summary authors & editors: Jean Chiasson; Jim Foster
The above photo of Meteor Crater was taken from a commercial jet over north central Arizona, at an altitude of 27,000 feet (8,230 m). Also known as Barringer Crater, Meteor Crater is easy to identify. It's nearly 0.8 miles (1.3 km) in width and was formed by the impact of a meteorite (about 150 ft or 46 m in diameter) approximately 50,000 years ago. Because of its relatively youthful age and arid location, it's one of the most well-preserved impact craters in the world. See also the Earth Science Picture of the Day for June 26, 2001.
Related Links: