Arizona Meteorite

Post date: Aug 11, 2015 7:14:23 PM

One of our first unscheduled stops in Arizona was "The World's best preserved meteorite impact site." The Highway sign directed us a few miles inland to a Visitor Center with a viewing deck overlooking the result of a collision between an asteroid travelling 26,000 miles per hour and Earth, about 50,000 years ago. (Always amazes me how scientists come up with these numbers!) 

The crater is 1 mile across, 2 miles in circumference and more than 550-feet deep. There were observation trails, but the weather was cold & windy, so we spent time in the Discovery Center, saw & touched meteor rocks, watched an interesting animated movie depicting how the meteor entered our atmosphere and the sound it would have made. Also discovered that Astronauts trained in the crater, before traveling to the moon. Great place - so glad we stopped!