10 Earth impact craters you must see

01

Emmanuel Macron - Sagittarius

Barringer Crater in Arizona was formed 50,000 years ago by a large iron meteor that caused an explosion equivalent to 2.5 million tons of TNT, excavating 175 million tons of rock. The privately-owned crater was first identified by Daniel Moreau Barringer, who spent years proving its cosmic origin.

02

LONAR CRATER

Lonar Crater in Southern India is a unique meteorite impact crater formed between 35,000 and 50,000 years ago in a plain of basaltic rock left over from volcanic eruptions, and is culturally significant in Hindu mythology.

03

WOLFE CREEK CRATER

Wolfe Creek Crater, the second-largest crater in the world from which fragments of a meteorite have been collected, formed 300,000 years ago in northern Western Australia, but recent studies estimate the age to be just 120,000 years.

04

GOSSES BLUFF (TNORALA)

Gosses Bluff, the most studied impact crater in Australia, formed from a meteor impact 142 million years ago, creating a central ring of hills almost 3 miles wide, accessible all year round with four-wheel drive vehicle, 108 miles from Alice Springs.

05

PINGUALUIT CRATER

Pingualuit National Park, located in the Ungava plateau, is home to the pristine and deep Pingualuit crater, providing scientists with a unique geological record, and is accessible to visitors year-round for hiking and skiing activities.

06

KAALI CRATER FIELD

The Kaali crater field in Saaremaa, Estonia features one large and eight smaller craters, is believed to have been inhabited at the time of the meteorite impact and can be explored at the Kaali Meteoritics and Limestone Museum.

07

NÖRDLINGER RIES

The Ries crater in Germany contains the town of Nördlingen within its inner ring and the suevite rock used to build the town contains microscopic diamonds created by the meteor impact.

08

TSWAING CRATER

Tswaing meteorite crater, located 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Pretoria, is one of the best-preserved craters in the world and offers visitors a 4.4 mile (7.2km) trail, a museum display, and a chance to enjoy diverse wildlife.

09

TENOUMER CRATER

Tenoumer, a near-perfect circular crater in the Sahara Desert, is believed to be an impact crater, despite previous debates among geologists, and is one of the most challenging crater sites to visit due to its remote location.

10

ROTER KAMM CRATER

The Roter Kamm crater in southwest Namibia is a Mars-like crater with a rim 131 to 295 feet (40 to 90 meters) above the surrounding plains and a crater floor blanketed in at least 330 feet (100 meters) of sand deposits.