03/15/2026
Meteor Crater in northern Arizona appears as a nearly perfect circular scar in the desert when viewed from space, a striking reminder of the violent impacts that have shaped planets throughout the Solar System. Also known as Barringer Crater, the site was formed about 50,000 years ago when a nickel-iron meteorite slammed into the Colorado Plateau at speeds of tens of thousands of kilometers per hour. The impact released energy comparable to a large nuclear explosion, excavating a crater roughly 1.2 kilometers wide and about 170 meters deep while blasting millions of tons of rock outward across the surrounding desert.
From the vantage point of the International Space Station, the crater stands out clearly against the otherwise flat and arid landscape of northern Arizona. Its sharply defined rim and bowl-shaped interior make it one of the best-preserved impact craters on Earth. Because of its remarkable condition, Meteor Crater has long served as an important natural laboratory where scientists study planetary impacts, helping researchers better understand how similar collisions have shaped the Moon, Mars, and other worlds across the Solar System.
Source: NASA Earth Observatory / ISS Earth Photography.