Dalgaranga crater facts for kids
 Location in Western Australia
|
|
| Impact crater/structure | |
|---|---|
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Depth | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
| Age | ?3 ka Holocene |
| Exposed | Yes |
| Drilled | No |
| Bolide type | Mesosiderite |
| Location | |
| Location | Yilgarn craton |
| Coordinates | 27°38′6″S 117°17′20″E / 27.63500°S 117.28889°E |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Western Australia |
The Dalgaranga crater is a small hole made by a meteorite hitting the Earth. It is found in Western Australia, about 75 kilometers (47 miles) northwest of Mount Magnet.
This crater is quite small, only 24 meters (79 feet) across and 3 meters (10 feet) deep. This makes it Australia's tiniest impact crater. It is special because it is the only known crater made by a rare type of meteorite called a Mesosiderite.
Scientists found the crater in 1921, but it wasn't officially written about until 1938. The ground where the crater formed is made of very old rock called Archaean granite. This rock is part of a huge, ancient land area known as the Yilgarn Craton.
What is the Dalgaranga Crater Like?
The Dalgaranga crater is not perfectly round. Its shape and the way the rocks were thrown out suggest the meteorite hit the ground at a low angle. It probably came from the south-southeast direction.
Scientists believe the crater is quite young, maybe only 3,000 years old. This is because it looks very well-preserved for its size. Also, the pieces of the meteorite found nearby have not worn away much.
How Was the Crater Discovered?
An Aboriginal stockman named Billy Seward first found the crater in 1921. He worked on the Dalgaranga cattle station.
Soon after, Billy Seward showed the crater to Gerard Wellard, who was the station manager. Mr. Wellard then found pieces of the meteorite.
It took a few more years, until 1923, for some of these meteorite pieces to be sent to the Western Australian Museum. This helped scientists confirm that the hole was indeed made by a meteorite impact.
