This is one big hole in the ground, created about 50,000 years ago. The impact crater is privately owned and expensive to see ($29.00 adult admission fee) and was designated a National Natural landmark in 1967.
This is the largest fragment found in the crater.
There's an informative museum inside.
Definitions:
Asteroid - rocky object orbiting the sun
Meteroid - small piece that breaks off from an asteroid
Meteor - enters earth's atmosphere and vaporizes ("shooting stars")
Meteorite - a meteroid that lands on earth
NASA astronauts trained in this crater before the moon missions and the museum has a lot of memorabilia.
The falling object was a nickel-iron meteorite that mostly vaporized upon impact. Guided tours of the crater are available but we just looked at it from the viewing platforms.
Watch out for the cows on the drive out!
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