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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Arizona >> Meteor Crater Natural Landmark – Arizona tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Meteor Crater Natural Landmark – Arizona

Images of Meteor Crater Natural Landmark – Arizona, taken in January 2024.

Meteor Crater Natural Landmark (also referred to as Barringer Crater) is located approximately 37 miles east of Flagstaff, Arizona on I-40.

The crater was created roughly 50,000 years ago by the impact of a nickel-iron meteorite about 160 feet across, traveling at approximately 29,000 MPH upon impact. The energy of that impact has been estimated at 10 megatons TNT. The existing crater is about 3,900 feet in diameter, and 560 feet deep. The crater rim rises 148 feet above the surrounding plains.

Because of the dry Arizona desert climate and lack of erosion, Meteor Crater has remained relatively unchanged since its formation. For this reason, NASA has used the site as a training ground for Apollo astronauts, and science institutes, including the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the American Museum of Natural History, have proclaimed the site the “best-preserved meteorite crater on earth.”
The Meteor Crater rim rising above the desert plain in Meteor Crater NL
The Meteor Crater rim rising above the desert plain in Meteor Crater NL		 The east rim of the crater in Meteor Crater NL
The east rim of the crater in Meteor Crater NL		 The crater floor and south rim in Meteor Crater NL
The crater floor and south rim in Meteor Crater NL		 The west rim of the crater in Meteor Crater NL
The west rim of the crater in Meteor Crater NL		 An Apollo test capsule on display in Meteor Crater NL
An Apollo test capsule on display in Meteor Crater NL
The east rim and the floor of the crater in Meteor Crater NL
The east rim and the floor of the crater in Meteor Crater NL		 The crater floor with in Meteor Crater NL
The crater floor with in Meteor Crater NL		 Test area (including for Apollo astronauts) on the crater floor in Meteor Crater NL
Test area (including for Apollo astronauts) on the crater floor in Meteor Crater NL		 View of the west rim in Meteor Crater NL
View of the west rim in Meteor Crater NL		 The south and west rims of the crater in Meteor Crater NL
The south and west rims of the crater in Meteor Crater NL
A panoramic view from the rim of Meteor Crater in central northern Arizona (2013) ***Best viewed at ORIGINAL size***
A panoramic view from the rim of Meteor Crater in central northern Arizona (2013) ***Best viewed at ORIGINAL size***

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Greg Temple 06-Feb-2024 23:27
I always wondered what this crater looked like, and you really captured it. Glad to see you are on the move a bit!
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