Devil's Canyon. Jackson Cole - Devil's Canyon. Comparison with other meteorite craters on Earth

You don't have to go to faraway Arizona to see the Grand Canyon! There is the same spectacular geological object in Ukraine - we mean the Aktovsky Canyon. Of course, our canyon is much smaller than its North American counterpart, but in beauty it is in no way inferior to it.

Excursions to the Aktovsky Canyon from Kyiv, Dnieper, Odessa, Zaporozhye, Nikolaev, Kharkov and other cities are carried out by reservation by calling 050 515-88-86​
096 095-99-69

Trips from Kherson occur on Saturdays, holidays and for individual orders.

Description

Once you get to the Aktovsky Canyon, you will remember your vacation here for a long time - the landscapes are fantastic! The flat, endless steppe is crossed by a deep river valley with almost vertical slopes and a narrow bottom; a river with the ominous name Mertvovod meanders between the stone arches of the canyon. The height of the rocks reaches 40-50 meters - this is approximately a 15-20-story building.

The history of the Aktovsky Canyon

Nikolaevsky Canyon is one of the oldest landmass in Europe, formed from volcanic rock (about 60 million years ago the sea splashed here). The valley arose due to the fracture of a large granite shield - the age of the rock is more than four billion years. In addition to the Grand Canyon in America, these places are called the Little Crimea - the granite-basalt rocks really resemble the Crimean ones. Many also note the similarity of the terrain with the canyon in Buki.

At the entrance to Vienna international center At the UN there are boulders symbolizing the world's continents. The stone that symbolizes Europe was brought to the capital of Austria precisely from the Nikolaev gorges!

See Devil's Canyon from above in this video:

Features of the natural area

Aktovsky Canyon, the photo of which you see, is unique phenomenon, absolutely atypical for the hot Ukrainian steppes. This deep river valley is the only complex of rocks and granite blocks of all sizes in Europe. She is part national park"Buzhsky Gard" and regularly falls into the number natural wonders countries.

However, the Aktovsky Canyon near Nikolaev is of interest not only to fans of geology and beautiful nature, but also followers of esoteric teachings. It is believed that these places, like , were an important sacred center of Scythia - since ancient times, among the majestic rocks, they prayed to the gods and carried out important rituals.

Vegetation

The climatic conditions here are atypical - it happens that even in winter violets bloom on the slopes and cows graze! In total, on the territory of the canyon (which is almost two and a half hundred hectares) there are more than 900 species of plants (about 30 are listed in the Red Book).

Thickets of calamus on the slopes, rare species of fern, wild rose hips, juniper, mosses and lichens - all this variety of flora can be seen when you come to the Aktovsky Canyon, excursions include walks along protected places.

Not far from the place where the Arbuzinka River flows into the Mertvovod River, the Trikratsky Forest reserve tract is located (consists of the Vasilyeva Apiary and Labyrinth tracts).

Man-made Trikrati Forest

Like this, this is not a natural phenomenon - at the beginning of the 19th century, the forest was planted by Count Viktor Skarzhinsky, a Kherson landowner, provincial leader of the nobility and a famous practitioner of steppe afforestation. By the way, in the village of Trikraty, the estate of the Skarzhinsky family is still preserved - an atmospheric two-story building built back in the 18th century.

Having abandoned his military career, Skarzhinsky decided to build an dendrological park in the middle of the Nikolaev steppes - he brought more than 200 varieties of fruit trees, seedlings of oaks and poplars, thuja and tulip trees, mimosa and cedar. Fountains were installed in the park, paths were laid out - thanks to the intricate grid of alleys, part of the Trikratsky forest received the name Labyrinth.

Years passed, and the park turned into a real wild forest– here you can meet bison, deer, pheasants and other representatives of forest fauna. For example, gray herons nest in Mironova Grove - this is the only such place on the map of the Nikolaev region. And in the Trikratsky forest there is a whole grove of ancient oak trees - their age has long exceeded a hundred!

In fact, the Aktovsky Canyon is a whole complex of canyons of different sizes. Beautiful photo landscapes can be done in the Arbuzinsky or Small Aktov canyon - its granite-basalt rocks were formed billions of years ago.

Labyrinths of basalt rocks

The Arbuzinka River flows along the bottom of a kilometer-long gorge, between huge boulders. Along its banks you can find many granite outcrops - in Soviet time in one of the most beautiful places Granite quarries operated in the Nikolaev region. Today they are all abandoned, one of them is known as " Black Lake"is the main attraction of the village of Migiya in the Nikolaev region.

Mertvovod River

The mystical river Mertvovod (a tributary of the Southern Bug) flows along the bottom of the Aktovsky gorge.

Once upon a time, in ancient times, the Scythians floated the bodies of their dead leaders along the course of this river - perhaps the name Deadwater came to us from those times. According to another version, the water became “dead” during the Tatar raids - supposedly local residents(in some retellings, Zaporozhye Cossacks) poured a poisonous decoction into the river to poison the infidels who had set up camp nearby. However, some researchers associate this name of the river with the high content of hydrogen sulfide in its waters and the corresponding smell.

Weather in Aktovsky Canyon

On the map of Ukraine, the Aktovsky Canyon is located at the very bottom, in the south – among the sun-drenched steppes. You can come here at any time of the year:

  • In winter, Deadwater freezes, and the overhanging rocks are covered with frost - what if this is not the scenery for the next season of “Game of Thrones”?
  • In the spring, mountain tulips bloom here - you can see the same ones only in Southern Siberia and on the plains of Kazakhstan.
  • In summer, the wind brings dizzying aromas of fragrant steppe herbs, and river lagoons invite you to swim. It is also in the summer that you can see and test “frying pans” here - giant flat stones that get so hot in direct sunlight that you can fry eggs on them.
  • in the fall, the Trikratsky forest and the Aktovsky canyon are painted in all shades of yellow and red - this is the best time for leisurely picnics and beautiful photos nature.

The average summer temperature in these parts is +25C°, the average winter temperature is -1°C. However, even if the sun hides during your visit, nature will not disappoint - cloudy weather gives the rocks a special, slightly ominous charm. A video about the Aktovsky Canyon clearly illustrates this:

Aktovsky Canyon: how to get there from Kherson?

On the map of Ukraine, the Aktovsky Canyon is indicated in the Voznesensky district of the Nikolaev region, next to locality Trifold. The journey from Kherson takes approximately three hours (180 km), but time flies by - very interesting views outside the window!

By car

Your main landmark is the village of Aktovo in the Nikolaev region (roads M14, P06). Coordinates – 47.72430 31.48206. We do not recommend driving a sedan with a ground clearance of less than 15 cm. The local landscape does not allow confident use of a low-slung car. An excursion to the Aktovsky Canyon will not be complete without proper accompaniment and an expert guide.

By bus

By bus, you first need to get to the city of Voznesensk, where you change to a minibus in Trikraty - it will take you to the village. 10 minutes and you are there. It is difficult to find all 3 canyons that are available on the Devil's Canyon tour. The distance between the gorges reaches several kilometers.

Tour program

The journey is very intense and takes the whole day. During this time you will have time to:

  • go around all three legendary canyons - Arbuzinsky, Maly Aktovsky and Bolshoi Aktovsky;
  • go down to the bottom of Devil's Canyon;
  • arrange a photo shoot against the backdrop of spectacular natural scenery;
  • relax in the Trikrati forest;
  • visit 4 secret locations, known not to every guide!

Excursions from Kherson to Aktovsky Canyon: rough plan

7:00 Meeting point - (8 Suvorov St.). We leave Kherson for the Aktovsky Canyon by bus.
10:00 Stop near the Skarzhinsky estate. W.C.
10:20 Arrival at the Arbuzinsky Canyon. Walking tour about the formation of rocks, the Arbuzinka River, a story about local legends.
12:00 We move to the “Kupala Polyana” (small canyon), free time and opportunity to have a snack. You can order a delicious panini or granola with you on the road from our administrators.
13:30 Transfer to the big Aktovsky canyon. Visiting several locations in Devil's Canyon and walking tour. Free time, walk through the canyon, draw water from a spring, or meditate in a stunning place. Time for photos, videos and selfies in the Ukrainian Grand Canyon.
16:30 Visit to the Trikrati forest. Herbal tea in Kherson and preparation for the journey back.
17:00 Departure to Kherson.
20:00 Return to Kherson to Suvorov 8 or to an appointed place.
*The route and travel time may vary depending on weather conditions and personal agreements with guests.

Ideal for traveling to the canyon. The tour is carried out by our partners. You will be accompanied by an experienced and charismatic guide.

Prepare for your trip in advance! Here sample list things you will definitely need on the road:

  • comfortable clothes and shoes;
  • headdress;
  • swimsuit or swimming trunks (in the warm season);
  • usual snack;
  • supply of drinking water.

We accept applications from Kherson, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Kyiv, Zaporozhye, Nikolaev and any other cities of Ukraine - book your excursion right now! The cost of a trip from Kherson is 650 hryvnia. The tour price includes:

  • entry tickets;
  • tea from medicinal steppe herbs;
  • insurance;
  • excursion program.

Aktovsky Canyon from Odessa

The cost of a trip to the Aktovsky Canyon is 985 hryvnia. The price includes the following services:

  • transfer to the canyon and back;
  • excursions according to the program and entrance tickets;
  • Tasty dinner;
  • support on the route;
  • insurance.

The excursion to the Aktovsky Canyon from Odessa follows the following program:

06:45 Group gathering at st. Bunina 15, corner of st. Pushkinskaya (near the regional Odessa Philharmonic). We leave at 07:00.
10:00 Arrival in the village of Trikhaty. We go with a guide on an excursion to the Arbuzinsky Canyon, listen to the guide's story about legends and stories. Excursion to the Aktovsky Canyon.
14:00 We visit the man-made forest of Count Skarzynski and get acquainted with the flora and fauna.
14:30 Dinner time. Approximate menu: pork kebab, baked potatoes, vegetables, drinks.
15:30 Excursion to the Labyrinth tract in the Trikrati forest.
17:00 Departure to Odessa.
21:00 Arrival in the city.
*The route and travel time may vary depending on weather conditions and time of year.

The gathering of tourist groups for excursions to the Aktovsky Canyon from Odessa is planned for April.

Travel schedule

Standard trips operate on Saturdays from early April to November. Select the desired date on the calendar and place your order online in 3 minutes.

An individual tour can be ordered by calling 050 515-88-86​.

Excursion to Aktovsky Canyon: reviews from participants

In a few years regular trips in Aktovsky Canyon we have collected reviews about it amazing place. Thanks to our guests who left comments in their profiles after the excursion. Feedback helps improve the Devil's Canyon tour. We will be glad to read your review!

Since ancient times, many meteorites have fallen on Earth. Some of them leave no trace, landing smoothly on the surface, such as the famous Goba Meteorite in Namibia. But in the vast majority of cases, the fall of a celestial body is accompanied by the appearance of a crater. One of these craters is located in the state of Arizona (USA) 30 kilometers away west of the town Winslow.

Arizona crater - trace of a giant meteorite

Arizona Crater on the map

  • Geographic coordinates 35.027729, -111.023100
  • The distance from the US capital Washington is a little more than 3000 km in a straight line or about 3500 km by road
  • The nearest local airport is in Winslow, 30 km away.
  • To the nearest International airport Phoenix-Sky Harbor approximately 200 km or 320 km by road

The Arizona crater is a classic impact mark of a huge meteorite - it has an almost perfect round shape with a diameter of about 1200 meters, and its edges rise to a height of 46 meters from the surface. The depth of the crater, according to some sources, is 229 meters, according to others, 174. To be honest, we were not there and, accordingly, did not take measurements with rangefinders or tape measures. Even the Russian-language and English-language Wikipedia provide different data. It is quite possible that in one case the depth was measured relative to the plain, and in the other case relative to its edges. So the truth is out there somewhere.

Several names for this crankcase are known. These are the laconic Meteor Crater (Google Maps knows it by this name), Devil's Canyon Crater (originally Canyon Diablo Crater) and Berringer Crater (originally Barringer Crater). But still it is usually called the Arizona Crater. Just like the famous geological formation, everyone in Arizona is simply called the Arizona Wave (and on maps it is marked as “The Wave” - translated as “Wave”). It is located approximately 220 kilometers to the north.

Scientists' calculations regarding the size of the meteorite itself are ambiguous. But the data is approximately as follows: The crater was formed about 50,000 years ago as a result of the fall of a meteorite with a diameter of about 50 meters and a mass of 300,000 tons. Its speed was more than 40,000 km/h.


According to some estimates, the explosion energy is 3 times higher than the Tunguska meteorite. The power of the explosion is thousands of times greater than the infamous atomic bomb dropped by the United States on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. There are no exact data, but the estimated capacity is estimated at 150 megatons of TNT.

As we have already said, one of the names of the crater is Berringer Crater, after the name of the man who spent his whole life proving that this is a meteorite crater, and not a volcanic one, as was previously thought.

A little history about the Arizona Crater

Such a gigantic formation, of course, has been known to the local Indians since time immemorial. Their legends say that once upon a time the God of Fire himself descended from heaven to these places on a fiery chariot and left such a huge crater as a souvenir. By the way, this indirectly confirms that the crater is indeed from a meteorite. The Indians considered this place sacred. Around they found numerous metal fragments from which they made amulets. They were believed to protect against evil forces. The Indians treated these amulets with reverence, and even during burial they used them as one of the main attributes of the ceremony for the departure of the deceased to the “Land of Happy Hunting” (as the Indians called the afterlife).

Scientists only learned about the existence of this crater in 1891, but considered it volcanic. Until Daniel Moreau Barringer, a mining engineer, found out about him in 1902. It was he who put forward the idea that the crater appeared as a result of a meteorite fall. Considering the size of the crater and the presence of metal fragments in the vicinity, Berringer assumed that the mass of the meteorite was quite large, and it consisted mainly of iron with an admixture of nickel and platinum. In those days, 1 ton of iron cost about $125. Berringer estimates the meteorite could be worth about $1 billion. In 1903, he bought the territory on which the crater is located and began excavations. Until the end of his days, Daniel tried to dig up the meteorite, but, unfortunately, he never achieved his goal. 26 years of grueling excavations were in vain. Despite the fact that Berringer was able to dig to a depth of 419 meters and find many meteorite fragments around, the most important and coveted piece of metal was never found. Shafts and fenced excavation sites remain at the bottom of the crater to this day.


Today, the Arizona Crater is a famous landmark both in the state of Arizona in particular and throughout the country in general. Tourists from all over constantly arrive here globe. There are observation platforms for them.


To maintain and increase attention to the crater, local residents often report the appearance of a glow (mysterious, of course) above the crater, periodic UFO sightings and geomagnetic anomalies in the crater itself (naturally, all with the adjectives “mysterious”).
Some experts in the field of parapsychology and parallel worlds claim that the Arizona crater is the gateway to hell. Rumor has it that people periodically disappear in the area of ​​the crater, and some tourists experience inexplicable nervous tension, but there is no reliable information on this matter.


Arizona Crater photo



Clickable 2900px

About 30,000-50,000 years ago, a giant block of stone fell to Earth near Devil's Canyon in Arizona, and a bowl-shaped funnel 1250 m in diameter and 174 m deep formed on the surface of the planet. Barringer Crater, which is also known as Arizona Crater, Un Goro Crater, Devil's Canyon, is a meteorite crater (astrobleme) located approximately 43 miles (69 kilometers) east of the city of Flagstaff, 30 kilometers west of the city of Winslow in desert of Northern Arizona in the USA. Since the Department of the US Council on geographical names usually gives names natural objects in keeping with the name of the nearby post office, the crater is also known as "Meteor Crater" due to the nearby post office being called Meteor.

This place was previously known as Devil's Canyon Crater, and the meteorite fragments that are located at the bottom of the crater received official name"Devil's Canyon meteorite." Scientists call the crater Barringer Crater - in honor of the discoverer of this place, Philadelphia mining engineer Daniel Moreau Barringer. It was he who first put forward the hypothesis that the giant crater appeared as a result of a meteorite hitting the earth.


Meteorite from crater Barringer, Arizona.

Daniel Barringer purchased the land where the crater is located and quickly began drilling into its bottom, because he was convinced that he would find the meteorite itself. He was unable to find the meteorite, but now the crater is privately owned by the Barringer family, which founded the Barringer Crater Company organization. One of the claims that is key to this organization is the doctrine that Barringer Crater is the earliest found, best preserved meteorite crater on Earth. After exploring the area in 1902, Daniel Barringer, a mining engineer from Philadelphia, became so convinced of the existence of an iron-bearing meteorite that he bought the site in 1906 and began drilling. At first he assumed that since the crater had an almost regular round shape, the body that created it should be buried in the center. He later discovered that if he fired a bullet into soft soil, even at an acute angle to the surface, the hole would also be round. This observation, as well as the fact that the southeastern wall of the crater is more than 30 m higher than the rest of its edges, led him to believe that the meteorite fell from the north at an acute angle and, therefore, must be located on the southeastern side of the crater. Drilling began in this area. At a depth of 305 m, an increasing number of iron and iron-nickel fragments were discovered. At a depth of 420 m, the advance of the drill stopped completely - apparently, the drill reached the surface of solid meteorite matter. In 1929, due to financial difficulties, drilling was stopped, but by that time it was already clear that the crater was indeed formed by a meteorite fall. The dimensions of this cosmic body have become the subject of speculation. In the 30s, scientists estimated its weight at 14 million tons, and its diameter at 122 m. According to modern estimates, its weight reached 70,000 tons, and its diameter was 25-30 m. But even if we assume that the dimensions of this space alien were not so great, its collision with our planet should have had the character of a cataclysm.

To create such a huge crater, the meteorite flew through the atmosphere at a speed of 69,000 km/h or so. The force of its impact on the Earth was equal to the force of the explosion of 500,000 tons of explosive material (almost 40 times more powerful than the explosion atomic bomb, which destroyed Hiroshima). 100 million tons of crushed rocks were thrown into the atmosphere. Sediments formed that now make up the slopes of the crater. Drops of molten metal from the meteorite scattered over an area of ​​260 km2. The fragments were no larger than pebbles, although some reached 630 kg. The rocks ejected from the crater were a mixture of sandstone and limestone - remnants of the fossil-rich rocks of a prehistoric lake bed that once existed in the region. A thick lens-shaped layer of the same rocks, called breccia, now covers the crater floor. In the 1930s, funds were allocated to drill through the breccia to the crater floor. At a depth of up to 260 m, traces of nickel and iron appeared; below this level, the rocks remained untouched. It can be assumed that the remains of the meteorite lie under the southern edge of the crater, but make up no more than 10% of the main rocks. The main mass of the meteorite was dispersed during the collision, turning into iron-nickel fragments. In 1960, traces of two rare forms of silica were discovered in the crater bowl - coesite and stishovite, which are also obtained artificially under conditions of high pressure and temperature. (Although stishovite can form under high pressure deep within the Earth's crust, it reverts to quartz when it comes to the surface.) The presence of these minerals in natural form in the crater area provides compelling evidence of a violent impact. All doubts about the nature of the origin of the crater were dispelled, and Barringer’s assumptions about the meteorite nature of the crater that now bears his name were completely confirmed. Although the crater is a geological landmark, it is not protected as a national monument. This status requires that the object be in federal ownership. Barringer Crater became National natural monument in November 1967.

Daniel Barringer Barringer Meteor Crater is located at an altitude of about 1,740 meters (5,709 ft) above sea level. It is a giant earthen bowl about 1,200 meters (4,000 ft) in diameter, about 170 meters (570 ft) deep, surrounded by a rim that rises 45 meters (150 ft) above the surrounding plains. The center of the crater is filled with a layer of rubble and nickel iron fragments totaling 210-240 meters (700-800 ft) thick, which lies at the bottom of a giant earthen bowl. One of interesting features The crater is its square outline.


The crater was formed about 50 thousand years ago during the Pleistocene era, when the local climate on the Colorado Plateau was much cooler and wetter. At that time, this area was meadows and pastures where mammoths roamed. There were most likely no human settlements in this area; the first official evidence of the appearance of humans in the territory of both Americas dates back to a much later period. The first people appeared near the crater approximately 25 thousand years ago. The Indians, whose tribes inhabited this area, told a legend that many years ago a fiery god descended to earth on his chariot, after which a crater was formed. Therefore, the Indians used meteorite fragments as an amulet and placed them in the graves of their dead relatives.

The object that caused the crater when it hit the ground was a nickel meteorite that was about 50 meters (54 yards) across. The meteorite crashed into the plain at a speed of several kilometers per second. The impact energy is estimated at 10 megatons. The speed of the collision itself has been the subject of some debate. As a result of their modeling, scientists initially suggested that the meteorite hit the ground at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per second (45,000 mph), but latest research indicate that the speed was significantly lower, at approximately 12.8 kilometers per second (28,600 mph). It is believed that about half the meteorite's 300,000 metric tons weight was vaporized in the atmosphere and upon impact with Earth. That is why the search for the meteorite undertaken by the discoverer of the crater, Daniel Barringer, was unsuccessful.


Today, Barringer Meteor Crater is a popular tourist attraction, privately owned by the third generation of the Barringer family. Anyone wishing to view the crater must pay a small fee. Literally on the edge of the crater there is a museum with interactive exhibits and displays about meteorites and asteroids, space, the solar system and comets. In addition, photographs of all American astronauts in full space gear are stored here - a kind of “wall of fame.” Here you can also see a 1,406-pound meteorite found nearby, as well as meteorite fragments from Barringer Crater itself, which you can even touch. In addition, there is a cinema, a souvenir shop, and Observation deck, from which you can admire the crater. Tours of Barringer Crater are offered daily.

If there were no protective layer of atmosphere and water on Earth (this is two-thirds of the entire surface of the planet), then life would not have appeared on our planet. The earth would be empty, rocky, like our satellite the Moon - only craters from meteorite impacts. But the Earth is alive, from space it looks very attractive. In 1891, in the desert American state of Arizona, a giant crater of amazing shape was discovered, which raised many questions among scientists: is it either the remains extinct volcano, or... a blow from a spaceship of aliens looking for a new refuge. But why not a meteorite crater, the inquisitive reader will ask. Could meteorites of this size reach the Earth, and where are its melted remains?

This unusual attraction in Arizona is visited with interest by scientists and tourists. They see a strange formation on the surface of the Earth, which has long been called Devil's Canyon or Berringer Crater, after its explorer. The crater is located 30 km from the town of Winslow and 56 km from the city of Flagstaff. It can be seen from afar - a mountainous cone rises above the horizon. The closer you get to it, the more distinct it becomes. Its height from ground level reaches 50 m. Climbing to the ridge, you see in front of you a giant bowl, the diameter of which is 1200 m and the depth of 180 m. The spectacle is enchanting and exciting. It seems that you are on an uninhabited planet. Scientists note the great similarity of the crater to the lunar surface.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, everyone believed that this was the crater of an extinct volcano. There were too many coincidences. But the local Indians, who found various metal fragments, claimed that many, many years ago, aliens who flew from the depths of heaven set up their camp in the desert and then flew away. A large round crater remained at the site where their starship was parked. Probably, it was gods from outer space who visited the Earth, the aborigines were sure.

"PLATES" OVER THE CANYON

The local Indians were echoed by some visiting tourists. They said that sometimes at night the sky over the canyon glows in a special way and gets brighter every hour. There were those who saw strange devices descending in the form of saucers, now called UFOs (unidentified flying objects). In addition, there is a version that the crater emits geomagnetic waves and thus communicates with arriving aliens.

These various fantastic and frightening stories gave the canyon its popular name - Devil's Canyon. It is clear that most scientists treated and treat these stories with irony and great skepticism. Some of them have their own argument: the Arizona crater in outline resembles the crater of the famous Italian volcano Vesuvius, which is located near Naples. Scientists believe that this similarity determines their uniformity and commonality. But is this really so?

VOLCANIC CRATER

The word "crater" is Greek, translated as "bowl". Such craters are formed when volcanic eruptions and can reach several kilometers in diameter. At the bottom of the crater there is usually one vent, or less often - several, through which lava and other materials enter the surface. volcanic products, rising from a magma chamber.

When you first look at the Arizona crater, you really think that these are the remains of an extinct volcano. Perhaps in a few million years, or maybe millennia, the crater of the current Vesuvius will descend and turn into a copy of the Arizona one. True, this depends on the underground forces that operate beneath it. There are craters on Earth much larger than Arizona. Thus, in Antarctica, on Wilkes Island in 1962, a meteorite crater with a diameter of 241 km and a depth of 800 m was discovered.

In Canada, on the coast of Hudson Bay, there is a crater with a diameter of 443 km, but the Arizona crater is special, it is the best preserved, can be studied, and was loved by filmmakers - this is an excellent natural object for filming adventure and science fiction films.

ARIZONA CRATER EXPLORATION

Who left a giant imprint in Arizona: a volcano, aliens or meteorites?

This question has haunted many American scientists for many years. In numerous disputes, the truth was never born. Serious and large-scale research was required, for which there was no money. The greatest contribution to the study of the Arizona crater was made by the American mining engineer and researcher from Philadelphia Daniel Moreau Berringer. He was very interested in the mystery of the appearance of such a giant crater in the desert.

Berringer immediately questioned the idea of ​​its volcanic origin. In the state of Arizona, there are no conditions for the appearance of volcanoes - everything is calm underground, no magma threatens to leak out. He drilled in several places and found no evidence of rocks of volcanic origin. But Berringer had yet to prove the validity of the theory put forward in 1902.

The explorer bought a small plot of land at the bottom of an Arizona crater and began deep drilling there. He hired workers and brought in equipment. The survey was carried out in difficult conditions: heat, lack of water, remoteness from urban infrastructure. The first rock samples showed that there were no elements of volcanic origin in it.

Drilling continued. And suddenly, at a depth of 420 m, the drill stopped, as if it had hit an insurmountable obstacle. What's happened? They raised the drill to the surface, its cutters were completely ground off. At first glance, it became clear that the drill had hit ferrous material. When samples of the material from the drill were checked in the laboratory, they determined that these were iron-nickel particles. So it's a meteorite? Meteorites contain iron and nickel. What is its volume underground? If you start industrial open-pit mining of nickel, you can get rich.

EPILOGUE OF THE METEORITE THEORY

But Barringer’s further efforts did not lead to anything - there were no people willing to start developing the “meteorite deposit”. Drilling has stopped. The bankrupt Berringer in 1909 submitted his research data to the US Academy of Sciences, which finally officially recognized that the Arizona crater was formed as a result of the fall of a celestial body.

And many years later, already in the era of computer diagnostics at the end of the 20th century, Berringer’s version was completely confirmed. Scientists have determined that approximately 50 thousand years ago a celestial body burst into the Earth’s atmosphere, most likely an iron-nickel meteorite measuring 30-40 m in size. The estimated mass was 70,000 tons, although some scientists believed that its weight could reach 2 million tons. The speed of movement when approaching the Earth was 70 thousand km per hour. The vast majority of the meteorite burned up in the atmosphere. When it hit the ground, the meteorite partially evaporated and partially split. Pieces ranging from several hundred grams to 500 kg scattered for many kilometers around. The force of the impact was approximately 40 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped by the Americans on Jeroshima in 1945. A giant funnel - a crater - was formed.

The Indians found fragments of the meteorite at a distance of up to 10 km from the crater. Berringer discovered the same fragments in the ground at a depth of 420 m while drilling.

The resulting funnel is practically the only place on Earth that resembles a lunar landscape. It is no coincidence that in this crater the Americans trained astronauts before the 1969 flight to the Moon and eliminated the shortcomings of spacesuits. Thus, Devil's Canyon played a role in the exploration of the Moon. Now it is a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world.

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Jackson Cole

Devil's Canyon

Captain, death has settled in these mountains. Death and horror!

What do you mean by this, Manuel?

The old Mexican, looking around uneasily, spoke more quietly.

What the Captain said: death is there, it comes from there

Ranger Jim Hatfield looked from the weathered face of old Manuel, nicknamed Peon, to where, far away, in the northwest, the Tinaha Mountains rose like a dark wall on the horizon. This wall, broken and studded with pointed peaks like fangs, was dark blue and violet in color, on its body here and there dry stream beds were red with bleeding wounds or gaped black canyon necks.

Hatvild stopped his mighty bay on the outskirts of a town near the river. Between the mountains and the town, magnificent pastures stretched for many miles like an undulating emerald blanket. True, here and there suddenly there were scraps of alien patches barren desert, so characteristic of southwest Texas, bald patches where gnarled saxaul and a bizarre cactus waged a grueling struggle for existence. But on the whole, this smiling land was wrapped in a rich green outfit, trimmed along the edges with the silver of streams.

Hatvild turned again to the Mexican, whose face expressed an amusing mixture of canine devotion and awe

Still, what do you mean by this, amigo? - he repeated his question.

Old Manuel looked around nervously again. No one could hear him, but he spoke even more quietly, almost in a whisper.

Previously, Captain, our guys went there,” he said, “they went to hunt game, dig the roots of herbs that grow only in these mountains. This happened for many years in a row... Young people went to the mountains and returned with full sacks and loaded donkeys. And then suddenly everything changed. One day the guys went to the mountains and did not return. Others went looking for them and also disappeared. Still others - with weapons and ready for anything - went to the mountains and returned with nothing, they found nothing. Our people didn’t go there anymore. And then... then, Captain, the midnight riders came and - He!

Yes captain. He came, and with him the horsemen. They began to forcefully take people away from coastal villages. They promised to give me a job and pay well, but the price was death!

Hatfield's gray eyes narrowed. He had heard what Mexican landowners and mine owners did when they didn't have enough workers.

They raid the villages of peons - peaceful Mexican peasants - and take away these simple-minded workers, without asking whether they want it or not.

Well, maybe it’s their custom there, on the other side of the Rio Grande, but here, on this side of the border, such a trick won’t work. Although these people are Mexican by blood, they are citizens of the state of Texas, and, as such, can count on the protection of the state.

Hatfield began to patiently find out everything in order.

Still, Manuel, who is “He”? Who is he - a large landowner? Does he have a big ranch?

The old Mexican hesitated painfully. Drops of sweat ran down his wrinkled cheeks. Finally he whispered, barely audible:

This is El Ombre Sin Cara...

“A man without a face,” Hatfield translated, thinking about what real meaning could be put into this Spanish expression. He knew this flowering land and its people too well to take such phrases literally.

Are you saying that his face is invisible, or that he has scars on his face?

Manuel nodded slowly.

Si, he said, el sicatriz, scar, yes, he has no face.

Hatfield had to be content with this.

What about the people who are with him? - he asked.

Manuel simply hissed with anger:

They are devils!

Well, yes, of course, I understand, they are devils - for you - the ranger agreed. - And none of those people ever returned?

Manuel's eyes darted nervously. He licked his parched lips. His wrinkled face reflected a whole range of contradictory experiences. He suffered. Finally he broke through - he spoke quickly and passionately.

No, Captain! Some returned - to die!

Hatfield wanted to ask again, but the Mexican beat him to it.

Wait, Captain, wait! And now there is still one of those who returned. Do you want to see him, Captain?

Certainly! I'd like to hear what he has to say.

You won't hear anything. “Captain,” Manuel objected. - But to see, you will see. Let's go!

Hatfield's bay horse trudged along behind the Mexican, who headed toward a miserable shack a few hundred yards away. He knocked on the door, muttered something in Spanish, and motioned for the ranger to dismount.

Trusting his bay to the evening breeze, Hatfield followed the Mexican in.

It was dark inside. He had to bend down to avoid the crown of his wide-brimmed hat from touching the low ceiling.

Hatfield paused for a minute, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. At first he could not distinguish anything, only some shadows. Then one of these shadows turned out to be an ancient old woman - more Indian than Mexican. In the far corner of the room there was a bed, something was lying on it, moving slightly and making sounds like muttering. Hatfield came closer.

Here,” said Manuel, “is one of those who returned from there.”

Jim Hatfield leaned over the bed, trying to see the man lying on it.

What he saw was once a person. Now it was something, but not a person, rather a thing. This something writhed slowly and continuously, like a hibernating snake. Yes, most of all this terrible, incessant movement reminded Hetfield of the convulsions of some vile reptile. It seemed as if there were no bones in this writhing body under the wrinkled muscles. . Huge empty - sightless - eye sockets stared into space. A wheezing sound escaped from the festering toothless ulcer that gaped where the mouth should have been.

Feeling a twinge of nausea, Hatvild straightened up and involuntarily stepped back so as not to see this terrible picture. He suppressed the feeling of disgust, a wave of pity rolled over him - and then it was replaced by blinding rage.

What did they do to him? - The question sounded an adamant demand for an answer.

Old Manuel shrugged his shoulders, expressively in Spanish, and uttered the sacramental phrase of the Mexicans, which always helps them out when faced with the incomprehensible:

Who knows?

Hatfield looked at the man lying there. During his years of service as a ranger, he had repeatedly seen traces of the most sophisticated tortures generated by Spanish and Indian fantasy, but this was something new.

Some kind of poison, probably,” he suggested. And again a wave of insane rage overwhelmed his entire being. Rage towards those from whom this monstrous cruelty came.

 

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