impact crater
Meteor's lasting mark
An impact crater is a bowl-shaped depression formed when a meteorite, asteroid, or other celestial body strikes a planetary surface.
The collision excavates rock and soil, often leaving a raised rim and central peak.
Earth's craters are mostly eroded or buried, but the Moon preserves them clearly: The lunar surface is pocked with impact craters.
Detonating meteor, very bright
- asteroidSun-orbiting rocky mass
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
hypervelocity · kinetic energy · projectile · impactor · explosion · vaporization · excavation
Circular outer boundary
Of the moon
Natural glass from meteorite strikes
- pseudotachyliteRock melted by faulting
- bedrockSolid stone underground
- strataParallel geological layers
- upliftRaise emotionally or physically
rebound · hydrothermal · mineralization · erosion · degradation · palimpsest
bolide
Detonating meteor, very bright
- asteroidSun-orbiting rocky mass
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
shockwave · hypervelocity · kinetic energy · projectile · impactor · explosion · vaporization · excavation
rim
Circular outer boundary
basin · breccia · fallback · slump · cavity · depression · bowl
lunar
Of the moon
regolith · palimpsest · remote sensing · topography · albedo
tektite
Natural glass from meteorite strikes
- pseudotachyliteRock melted by faulting
- bedrockSolid stone underground
- strataParallel geological layers
uplift · rebound · hydrothermal · mineralization · erosion · degradation · palimpsest
- Asteroid DefenseNEO, planetary defense, threat detection, collision course, early warning
- crash siteswreckage, debris, emergency services, first responders, ambulance
- land depressionscaldera, sinkhole, depression, valley, hollow
- lunar featuresmare, maria, rille, mons, montes
- meteor impactsbolides, debris field, iridium layer, air burst, airbursts
- planetary featuresvolcano, mountain, canyon, cliff, mesa
impact cratervolcanic crater
Depression from eruption
sinkhole · cinder cone · shield volcano · stratovolcano · lava dome
impact cratermountain
Tall natural landmass
shield volcano · volcanic dome · peak · dome · uplift
impact, impress, crater, impacts, impacted, impacting, impactful, craters, meteorite