Tunnunik impact crater facts for kids
| Prince Albert impact crater | |
|
|
|
| Impact crater/structure | |
|---|---|
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | ~25 km (16 mi) |
| Age | ~130–350 million years |
| Exposed | Yes |
| Location | |
| Location | Prince Albert Peninsula |
| Coordinates | 72°28′N 113°56′W / 72.467°N 113.933°WCoordinates: 72°28′N 113°56′W / 72.467°N 113.933°W |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
The Tunnunik impact crater, formerly known as the Prince Albert Impact Crater, is a recently confirmed meteorite impact crater. It is located on Prince Albert Peninsula in the northwestern part of Victoria Island in Canada's Northwest Territories.
The 25 km (16 mi) wide crater was discovered in 2010 by Brian Pratt, professor of geology at the University of Saskatchewan, and Keith Dewing of the Geological Survey of Canada during an aerial survey of the region. The crater is estimated to have formed between 130 and 350 million years ago, and may have been created when a meteor a few kilometres in diameter struck the Earth. The desert-like landscape of impact craters like Tunnunik can be useful in understanding the geology of other rocky planets such as Mars.
It is Canada's 30th known meteorite impact feature.
