Armageddon's Deep Impact

October 25, 2006 10:47 PM

An interactive map of the 174 major meteor impact craters. The largest crater we know of is the Vredefort Dome in South Africa, caused by a meteor some 10 km in diameter. Almost as large in the Sudbury Structure, located in Ontario, which contains some of the world's richest nickel and copper reserves, and has been only confirmed recently to be a crater. Third largest is the now-famous Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan, which probably killed the dinosaurs. Then take a look at an animation of asteroids near Earth [animated gif] and the list of minor planets that could hit us. Want to find out what happens when an meteor impacts in your area? Use the handy Earth Impacts Effects Program!
posted by blahblahblah (13 comments total)

This is a good post.
posted by wilful at 11:25 PM on October 25, 2006

I guess nows as good a time as any to see if anyone knows what this is. Impact zone or fingerprint?
posted by bob sarabia at 11:35 PM on October 25, 2006

Given that it's obviously 3D, and the dim wake of a boat passes under it, it must be a photographic artefact.
posted by wilful at 1:05 AM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

Cool post - need to spend some (non-working) time exploring it all! :)
posted by Chunder at 2:30 AM on October 26, 2006

Previously...
posted by ewagoner at 6:17 AM on October 26, 2006

You made my morning. I love stuff like this!
posted by owhydididoit at 8:07 AM on October 26, 2006

Asteroid impact craters are great places to look for precious metals, because asteroids can contain ridiculous amounts of gold and platinum.
posted by Pastabagel at 8:24 AM on October 26, 2006

Nice post, thanks.

*looks to the sky*
posted by Merlyn at 8:30 AM on October 26, 2006

That destructometric calculator is good scary fun. Turns out that if a 1-km comet smashes to earth 200 km from me, and I survive the thermal radiation blast, I get to be torn to bits by 240-mph winds!
posted by Mister_A at 9:18 AM on October 26, 2006

Yesterday my son found Manicouagan on a map of Quebec and wondered why it was such a perfect circle.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:33 AM on October 26, 2006

This site is interesting. Perhaps the Indians were impressed by the odd terrain features or were scavenging metals and minerals.
posted by laptop_lizard at 11:49 AM on October 26, 2006

Great post, thanks. One of the most awe inspiring moments of my life was, as a kid, seeing this one go over my families cabin in the Monashee mountains.
posted by Rumple at 11:50 AM on October 26, 2006

Yeah, that comet destruction calculator is great fun. I've been fantasizing all day about meteor-induced, piping hot 400mph winds ripping through my office.
posted by saladin at 12:39 PM on October 26, 2006