#MarsOnEarth landed at the Barringer Meteorite Crater!
The Martians have landed!
A group photo with the largest piece of the meteorite that was recovered. This piece of iron is about 1% of the full size meterorite that created the impact crater.
Meteorite Crater, just off the "Mother Road" (Route 66) between Flagstaff and Winslow has been a site that has piqued human curiosity. There was long debate as to its origin, which was not settled until the early 1900's. Hard to believe that it could be seen as anything but a meteorite impact through today's lens, but it was. The mine shaft in the center are a testament to that belief, but the mistaken impression that a large iron meteorite would be found underneath the crater. The belief was at that time the meteorite would bury itself, not explode and scatter on impact. It is amazing to think this is, as meteor craters go, a small crater. If it were on the moon, it would be too small to notice by eye or even a small telescope. Copernicus, for example is more than 90 times the size of Barringer! Despite the scale, o human terms, it is huge. The entire NFL could simultaneously play every Sunday game with 2 million spectators gathered around the rim! We are small!
One of the most amazing features of the crater was the inversion if the rock strata at the edge of the rim. The impact of the meteorite literally peeled back the strata and folded them on top of surface. So instead of the red sandstone being capped by the limestone, the sandstone is on top of the limestone. Gives one a sense of the power expended upon impact!
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment