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Some natural sights on Earth have the uncanny ability to remind us of the incredible power needed for them to be formed. The Grand Canyon etched by ages of flowing water and Mount Everest formed by shifting tectonic plates are great examples. But how about forces from beyond our atmosphere? There are not many comparable natural destructive powers than a sizeable meteor hitting Earth’s surface at 11,000 kilometers per hour (6,700 miles per hour) leaving utter devastation. These five notable impact craters located throughout Earth are reminders the power and beauty caused by these outer space rocks.

1) Barringer Crater (Arizona, USA) – 35°1′38″N 111°1′21″W
Located a bit east of Flagstaff, Arizona, this crater (pictured above) is 1220 meters (4,000 feet) in diameter and 173 meters (570 feet) deep. Other names given to the crater have been Meteor Crater or Canyon Diablo Crater. The name of the crater is derived from a mining engineer (Daniel Barringer) who suggested in 1903, that the crater was formed by a meteorite. This impressive crater has since been confirmed by modern planetary science to have been formed by a nickel-iron meteorite about 50 meters in diameter. The Barringer Crater is now a popular tourist attraction with tours of the crater rim as well as a gift shop for souvenirs.

2) Lonar Crater Lake (Maharashtra, India) – 19°58′36″N 76°30′30″E
The legend of Lonar Crater Lake is that Lord Vishnu destroyed the demon Lonasur who lived underneath this lake and local hills. If you are not one for believing local legends, modern science indicates that this 5,900 foot diameter and 450 foot deep crater was formed about 52,000 years ago from a meteor. This impact crater (or demon liar) is partially filled with salt water is one of the largest craters in basaltic rock.

3) Kaali Crater (Saaremaa, Estonia) – 58°22′22″N 22°40′10″E
The meteor that formed Lake Kaali, as well as eight small nearby craters, incinerated forests within a 6 kilometer (3.75 mile) radius upon impact. The forests have regrown from the initial impact leaving a 22 meter (72 feet) deep lake that is sacred based on regional mythology. Theories from Finnish mythology and Estonian folklore depict Kaali Crater Lake to be the place where “the sun went to rest”. The lake is located in the center of the island of Saaremaa off western Estonia.

4) Pingualuit Crater (Quebec, Canada) – 61°16′30″N 73°39′37″W
You might need to bring a few sets of warm clothes to reach this crater located near the tip of the Hudson Bay in Quebec, Canada. The name Pingualuit translates to “where the land rises” in the local Inuit language. At 270 meters (890 feet) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in North America. The lake containing only rain water and melted snow holds some of the freshest water because of the very low salinity level. It is only appropriate the local Inuit’s knew the lake as the “Crystal Eye of Nunavik”.

5) Wolfe Creek Crater (Western Australia) – 19°10′20″S 127°47′44″E
Tales from local Djaru aboriginals describe a giant star fell from the sky to create Kandimalal or commonly known as Wolfe Creek Crater. The crater is about 875 meters (2,870 feet) in diameter and 60 meters (196 feet) from the crater rim to the floor. If you are lucky you might be able to spot rusted balls of iron-shale scattered throughout caused by the energy of the meteor impact.

Have you visited any of these craters? If so, what were your thoughts? Let us know about your vacation stops to these or other craters on the planet.