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Morokweng crater


map showing position of Morokweng crater
An impact crater, about 160 km (100 miles) in diameter, that lies buried under the sands of the Kalahari Desert sands near Morokweng, in the northwest part of South Africa (latitude 26° 28' S, longitude 23° 32' E). The Morokweng crater has an estimated age of 145.0 ± 0.8 million years, placing it at the boundary of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. It was created by an asteroid measuring about 5-10 km (3-6 miles) in diameter.

In 2006, scientists recovered meteorite fragments from the crater at a depth of 770 meters (2,500 ft). These fragments may not have been attached to the asteroid but may have trailed behind it as it entered Earth's atmosphere. They are among the oldest meteorite specimens ever found on this planet.


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   • CRATERS
   • GEOLOGY AND PLANETARY SCIENCE


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