Arizona Has Evidence of One of Earth’s Largest Disasters

As our little blue marble floats quietly in space, it's easy to forget how dangerous the solar system can be. There is evidence of our galaxy's fury right here in Arizona.

Arizona's Mega-Large Disaster: How It Happened

Approximately 50,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene epoch, a chunk of space rock came hurtling through our atmosphere, and it had Arizona in its crosshairs.

Since humans first settled in Arizona around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, no one has been impacted by the—well, impact.

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A meteorite struck what is now Arizona at an estimated speed of 29,000 miles per hour. The nickel-iron meteorite is only about 160 feet across - about the length of three school buses - and compared to the level of damage it left behind, it seems relatively small.

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The meteorite slammed into the ground, creating an energy release equivalent to about ten megatons of TNT - the equivalent of about 150 times the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of World War II. The crater it left behind is about 3,900 feet long and 560 feet deep.

READ: How High School Drop Out Made a Famous Discovery in Arizona

Visiting Meteor Crater in Arizona

Meteor Crater, also known as Barringer Crater, is located about 37 miles east of Flagstaff and 18 miles west of Winslow in northern Arizona. The crater is privately owned by the Barringer family through the Barringer Crater Company.

The crater is a popular tourist attraction, and the visitor center has exhibits on topics such as space, meteorites, and the site's history.

Meteor Crater is more than a giant hole in the ground. As impact craters on Earth go, this one is relatively young and holds a wealth of information. The arid climate of Arizona makes Meteor Crater one of the best-preserved impact craters on Earth.

The lunar-like terrain created the perfect training landscape and was used by NASA astronauts to prepare for Apollo's moon missions.

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Meteor Crater is by no means the most significant impact crater in the world. If standing on the crater's rim isn't daunting enough, knowing there are larger impact craters worldwide is daunting.

Barringer Crater is dwarfed by Vredefort Crater, located in South Africa, is a whopping 190 miles in diameter. However, it's much easier to drive to Flagstaff if you live in Arizona!