Viewfield crater facts for kids
 Location in Canada
Location in Saskatchewan
|
|
| Impact crater/structure | |
|---|---|
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 2.5 km (1.6 mi) |
| Age | 190 ± 20 Ma Late Triassic or Early Jurassic |
| Exposed | No |
| Drilled | Yes |
| Location | |
| Location | Williston Basin |
| Coordinates | 49°35′N 103°4′W / 49.583°N 103.067°W |
| Country |  Canada |
| State | Saskatchewan |
| Province | Division No. 1, Saskatchewan |
The Viewfield crater is a special place in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is an impact crater, which means it was formed a very long time ago when a space rock, like an asteroid or comet, crashed into the Earth.
This crater is quite large, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) across. That's like two and a half times the length of a typical airport runway! Scientists believe it was formed around 190 million years ago. This was during a time called the Early Jurassic or Late Triassic period, long before humans existed.
Contents
What is an Impact Crater?
An impact crater is a big bowl-shaped hole left in the ground. It forms when a large object from space, like a meteoroid, hits a planet or moon. When these objects hit Earth, they cause a huge explosion. This explosion digs out a crater.
The size of the crater depends on how big the space object was. It also depends on how fast it was moving. The Viewfield crater was made by a powerful impact.
How Old is the Viewfield Crater?
Scientists have studied the rocks around the Viewfield crater. They estimate its age to be about 190 million years old. This makes it one of the older impact craters known on Earth.
To give you an idea, dinosaurs were still roaming the Earth during the Early Jurassic and Late Triassic periods. The impact that created Viewfield happened a very, very long time ago!
Where is the Viewfield Crater Located?
The Viewfield crater is found in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located in an area known as the Williston Basin. This basin is a large bowl-shaped area of land. It stretches across parts of Canada and the United States.
What's interesting about Viewfield is that you can't see it from the surface. It is completely buried under layers of rock and soil. This means it is not exposed like some other craters.
How Do We Know It's There?
Even though it's hidden, scientists are sure the Viewfield crater exists. They have confirmed it by studying rocks deep underground. They use special tools to look at the Earth's layers.
Scientists have also drilled into the ground in this area. The rocks they found show clear signs of a massive impact. This helps them understand what happened there millions of years ago. Studying buried craters like Viewfield helps us learn more about Earth's history. It also teaches us about the space objects that have hit our planet.
