Canyon Diablo Meteorites

About 50,000 years ago, the giant Canyon Diablo meteor hit the dry Arizona desert at an incredible speed: just about 30,000 miles per hour! The resulting blast created an impact crater about three-quarters of a mile across and 600 feet deep. Most of the meteor was vaporized, but some fragments survived: the largest found was about 639 kilograms. The meteor itself is believed to have weighed approximately 63,000 metric tons, of which about 30 tons have been collected.