Popular Astronomy, Vol. 6-7; 23. http://www.shopatsky.com/the-sky-february-1939-digital-issue. Attraction status, hours and prices change without notice; call ahead! Even the biggest RV is humbled down here. Not for the faint of heart, Quick stop right off I-20 we were there for 15 mins 161-168. Built with a motive of safeguarding these craters, the Odessa Meteor Crater Museum is one of the most significant historic sites in Texas. The idea of a volcanic outburst was dismissed as there were no signs of igneous action, or any volcanic rock. Engineering and Mining Journal-Press, v. 121, no. Odessa Meteor Crater - Wikipedia 1,233 spam blocked by Akismet. This trail is great for birding, hiking, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Welcome to The Odessa Meteor Crater The hours of the current day (today) are highlighted. He sent his find to the United States National Museum and Mr. E. V. Shannon analyzed it. Old meteorites from the site are fairly common in the marketplace, however, and anyone that really wants one shouldn't have too hard a time finding them for sale. depression.They didn't find it.It is now known that Welcome to The Odessa Meteor Crater. tourist attractions and odd sights in Texas. 397-408.doi:10.1016/0012-821X(67)90180-X, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0012821X6790180X, Chen, J. H., Papanastassiou, D. A., Wasserburg, G. J. 307-311. The photo above gives a good sense of the scale of this structure. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1939.tb00208. 1967. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. All rights reserved. Discover this 0.3-mile loop trail near Odessa, Texas. I wish they would dig it back out. Icarus, volume 4, issue 5-6, pp. Odessa Meteor Crater 1-432-381-0946 (All hours are Central Standard Time) Tues. - Sat. 23, p. 932. More on Million Barrel Museum: Giant Oil Crater. I only need accommodations for part of my trip, Odessa Regional Medical Center South Campus, Vacations and getaways similar to Odessa Meteor Crater, Other Hotels near Odessa Meteor Crater, Odessa. Several unsuccessful attempts were made before and after World War II to build a park at the site. 27-33. DOI:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1951.tb00165.x. The museum has a great little collection of meteorites from all over and some very interesting info posted. This is a typical feature of terrestrial meteorite impact craters, and the uplifting extends to vertical or overturned rocks in some instances. D1-11. Baylor University. Home. The walk to see the crater Read more. doi:10.1029/JZ067i007p02925, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JZ067i007p02925/abstract. 5599 Meteor Crater Rd. Great viewing areas. As director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, Sellards was looking for potash when he came upon the crater in the field. Natural forces such as high winds, and short yet heavy rainfall (flash floods) contribute to the natural erosion of the rim and surrounding areas. Show weather on: Scroll right to see more Conditions Comfort Precipitation; Time Temp Weather Feels Like Wind Humidity Chance Amount . Jul. This is one of three impact crater sites found in Texa. It was created 20,000 to 50,000 years ago by a barrage of meteors that hit about 10 miles west of downtown Odessa. being from Arizona and having seen the meteor crater there it was a little underwhelming but there's a nice trail with signs Read more, Was pretty kool There is a trail around and through the crater. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Evans, G.L., and Mear, C.E., 2000, The Odessa meteor craters and their geological implications: Waco, Texas, Baylor University, Occasional Papers of the Strecker Museum 5, 50 p., Lord, J. O. History and Exploration - Odessa Meteor Crater Museum Meteorites are not typically found in association with impact craters. 46-47. http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1934PA..4246N/0000046.000.html, Roach, C. H., Johnson, G. R., McGrath, J. G., Merritt, V. M., and Sterrett, T. S. (1963) Thermoluminescence investigations at the Odessa meteorite craters, Texas, in Astrogeologic Studies, Annual Progress Report, August 25, 1961, to August 24, 1962, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 63-123, pt. This caught the attention of Dr. Merrill once more, and he set out to see it for himself. The image looks across the crater rim from about two thirds of the way around. In 1920 Virgil Graham, an Ector County resident, found a volcanic-like rock near the depression. Customize this page. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2008/pdf/1082.pdf, Cloutis, E. A., Hardersen, P. S., Bish, D. L., Bailey, D. T., Gaffey, M. J. and Craig, M. A. In 1926, Dr. Bibbins wrote another letter describing the topography of the area where he discovered the siderite. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. All rights reserved. Human interaction, such as the oilfield, also adds to shifting sands and debris. Dr. George P. Merrill then published a short description in the American Journal of Science, May 1922. A couple of rooms are filled with someone's donated collection of Coca Cola memorabilia. the Interior. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(57)90088-1, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0016703757900881. Expedia, Inc. is not responsible for content on external Web sites. 3100 Meteor Crater Road, Odessa, TX, United States, 79763, Follow the The Odessa Meteor Crater & Museum. The following overview lists the visiting hours for Odessa Meteor Crater Museum in West Odessa. It was cool to see a part of natural history up close. . Once there I seen the signs to watch out for snakes and it really didn't put me in the spirit to walk the path so I looked from a far. Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road. The Odessa Meteor Crater is a meteorite crater in the southwestern part of Ector County , southwest of the city of Odessa of West Texas , United States . The impact of the meteorites displaced Cretaceous limestone, lifting it forty-five to fifty feet above its original position, folding it into a vertical position, and faulting it. Address Meteor Crater Rd, Odessa, TX 79766, USA. impact. Free parking and picnic areas. Odessa Meteor Crater Museum Attraction status, hours and prices change without notice; call ahead! Get directions, reviews and information for Dunkin' in Odessa, TX. Ward County recognized that the tank could be almost as valuable empty as it had been full. MCM Grande Hotel FunDome Odessa. Current Guidelines - Odessa Meteor Crater Museum Contributions of the Society for Research on Meteorites, volume 2, issue 7:298305. Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The roughly circular depression is 500 to 650 feet wide from rim to rim. There is now a small, but worthwhile museum on site about this crater and others around the world. Though Odessa Regional Medical Center South Campus might be what brings you to town, perhaps you'll have a chance to explore more of Odessa while you are here. This site possesses exceptional value as an illustration of the We are #27 out of 29 Impact Craters in the U.S. in terms of size. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, volume 2, issue 1, pp. KTPR 89.9 - Stanton, TX and KVHL 91.7 - Llano, TX are currently off air. http://zfn.mpdl.mpg.de/data/Reihe_A/21/ZNA-1966-21a-1160.pdf, Evans, G. L. (1961) Investigations at the Odessa meteor craters. (1967) Historical Notes on the Odessa Meteorite Crater.Meteoritics, volume 3, number 4, page 161-168., http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1967Metic3..161B. Blog Calendar. It's like being at the bottom of Meteor Crater -- if you could drive to the bottom of Meteor Crater, which you can't. Barringer Jr., D. M. (1928). While in this family-friendly area, you can savor the top-notch restaurants. Popular Astronomy, volume 42, pp. Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over Ready for navigation and good times! Odessa Meteor Crater,;has been designated a National Natural Landmark. Safety first! Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. Indicators of impact origin in small terrestrial craters in Phyical Records of Impacts in The Early and Modern Solar System. 439.doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1993.tb00269., http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1945-5100.1993.tb00269.x/abstract, http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1993Metic..28R.439S&data_type=PDF_HIGH&whole_paper=YES&type=PRINTER&filetype=.pdf, Strait, M. M. (1983) Just Another Piece of the Odessa Iron (abstract). Long discovered to his dismay that the barrel was no better at holding water than it was oil. Problem While Recovering Password, Please Try Again Later, First Name Should Not Be More Than 50 Characters, Last Name Should Not Be More Than 50 Characters, Problem Reseting Your Password, Please Try Again Later, Keyword Is Restricted, Please Try Another Keyword. Armpit of Texas, Kermit, TX - 30 mi. Abstracts of the 23rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, pp. Odessa Meteor Crater, shallow, cone-shaped impact crater in the High Plains just southwest of Odessa, Texas, U.S., produced by a meteorite. Jun 21/22. The Meteor Crater at Odessa (also known as Odessa Meteor Crater), the third largest meteor crater in the United States, is located ten miles southwest of Odessa and three miles south of Interstate Highway 20 in south central Ector County. Odessa, TX 79763. Two smaller and now-filled craters flank it. There is overwhelming evidence thatOdessa is an impact crater. Ticketing Information Purchase now and receive your ticket via email to present at Admissions.Our electronic tickets are good any day or time, never expire, and are non-refundable. Prices and availability subject to change. It is accessible approximately 3 mi (5 km) south of Interstate 20 at Exit 108 (Moss Road). (2005) Age and effects of the Odessa meteorite impact, western Texas, USA. Long never gave it up -- he even dreamed of turning its high-banked walls into an auto race track. The site was walkable through the crater which was cool. Odessa Meteor Crater and Museum - Tripadvisor Odessa Meteor Crater Trail: 29 Reviews, Map - Texas | AllTrails Its flat bottom became a ready-made site for tailgate parties, square dances, and an annual Fajita Cook-Off. Smith, T. R. (1995)Impact crater particulates: Microscopic meteoritic material surrounding meteorite craters, PhD dissertation, University of Washington. Welcome to Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center I asked her, "Why did you come to the Crater?". "TOUCHDOWN!!" GENERAL ADMISSION PRICE Adults (age 13 - 59) $27 Seniors (age 60+) $25 Juniors (age 6 to The Odessa Crater Project was formed with the primary objective to locate the large crater-forming meteorite, presumed to be located near the bottom of the Main Crater. We stopped on our way to the Sand Hills about 20 mins past this location on I-20 West The ejected material contained fragments of nickel-iron oxide and metallic nickel-iron. (Barringer Jr., 1928) (Stanford, 2017). be appreciated by the serious meteor junkie. This one marks clearly exposed up-tilted rocks in the rim of the main crater, shown in greater detail in the following two photos. You can find out about the history of Odessa with a visit to White-Pool House. Authoritative agencies prefer to leave the crater in its natural state, rather than excavating it back to a more original look, which could damage the impacted rock and prevent true understanding of meteor impacts. With these kinds of speeds, impacts create explosions similar to atomic blasts which can completely disintegrate both the meteor and part of the impacted earth. Meteoritics, volume 28, issue 3, pp. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1941.tb00296.x, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1945-5100.1941.tb00296.x/epdf, Marshall, R. R. and Keil, K. (1965) Polymineralic inclusions in the Odessa iron meteorite. I came across two rattle snakes just sunning. Nice visitors center! The largest crater is filled by wash and wind-blown material to within nine to fourteen feet of the rim. 2451-2463.doi:10.1029/JZ064i012p02451, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JZ064i012p02451/abstract. We recommend booking Odessa Meteor Crater and Museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Sellards, E.H., and Evans, G.L., 1941, Statement of progress of investigation at Odessa meteor craters: Austin, University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, 13 pages. Strewn across the ground of the crater are four smaller craters, all of which were formed during the same time period. Please note that opening hours on special days or holidays may differ from what is displayed here. Odessa Convention & Visitors Bureau. (Evans & Mear, 2000), Even large chunks of intact iron meteorites are unstable in the presence of air and moisture. It was with the stop to see a bit of history for the land. As expected, this will happen faster on smaller pieces than on larger ones. After his discovery scientists from many places came to study the crater. Though a lot of the crater is filled due to sand fill over the last 62,000 years, one can still get a good sense of the depression. But cement has its load limits, and a million barrels of crude oil weighs 315 million pounds. Million Barrel Museum: Giant Oil Crater, Monahans, Texas - Roadside America Password Should Be 8-16 Characters Long, Alphanumeric With One Special Character, Password Should Not Be More Than 50 Characters. The Meteor Crater at Odessa (also known as Odessa Meteor Crater), the third largest meteor crater in the United States, is located ten miles southwest of Odessa and three miles south of Interstate Highway 20 in south central Ector County. was dug by the WPA in the late 1930's.They were looking What type of location are you collecting? See weather overview. Website. Great age, weathering, and excavation in the early 20th century have combined to reduce surface relief to no more than a few meters. Meteor Crater Rd. 3 out of 5. . At least one of these fragments, (the siderite from Mr. Bibbins) displayed the Widmanstatten figures on an etched and polished surface. ;She No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. Boon, J.D. Unfortunately, removal of any rocks is prohibited. General Admission | Meteor Crater | Barringer Space Museum 155-158. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1945-5100.1969.tb01269.x/abstract, Burnett, D. S. and Wasserburg, G. J. It is well-facilitated and displays a number of items which are in tandem with the Odessa crater, like tektites, meteorites and plenty of other space material. While in this family-friendly area, you can savor the top-notch restaurants. Read our. Experience the area's entertainment venues or attend a sporting event. Holliday, V. T., Kring, D. A., Mayer, J. H. and Goble, R. J. Only after constructing the shaft and reaching the mass did they realize that it was only a highly silicified form of consolidated gravel. Odessa Meteor Crater, Odessa, Texas - Roadside America 1223-1224. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc1996/pdf/1612.pdf, Smith, T. and Hodge, P. (1993) Microscopic meteoritic material surrounding meteorite craters (abstract). The crater site is easily accessed by visitors, with paved parking and access, picnic tables, and nearby lodgings in the towns of Odessa and Midland. Sellards, E. H. and Barnes, V. E. (1943) Progress in excavating the Odessa, Texas, meteorite crater. Structural Investigation of the Odessa Meteorite Crater Using High Resolution Geophysics in a Complex Environment. Explore the great outdoors at McKinney Park, a lovely green space in Odessa. Geological Society of America, 53rd Annual Meeting Excursions, pp. Regular Hours. Please check your starting point or destination location, New Password and Confirm New Password Do Not Match, Geolocation is not supported by this browser, Keyword Should Contain At Least 3 Characters, Keyword Should Contain Only Alphanumeric Characters, Email Should Not Be More Than 100 Characters. The Historical Commission has moved other attractions onto the property to complement the tank, such as Monahans' first jail and its former hotel. (1967) 87Rb-87Sr ages of silicate inclusions in iron meteorites. (1941), Metal Structures in Odessa, Texas, and Canyon Diablo, Arizona, Meteorites. But compared to everything else in the area, this is the Grand Canyon with the Rockettes dancing on the rim." Waco, TX: Strecker Museum Complex. Do not leave children unattended in the museum, bathrooms, or outdoors. Theimpact originof eachlocation listed on this website has been supported by unambiguous diagnostic evidence of hypervelocity impact that has beenreported in a scientific (usually peer reviewed)context. Withoutsuch evidence,a geological structure is not a confirmedimpact crater. This section, which is includedfor eachcrater on this website,is not an exhaustive list of such published evidence, but is meant to demonstrate that appropriate work has been done for each listing. An old train car contains a mirrored "endless" stretch of railroad tracks. The sign for snakes is accurate. 3, pp. Texas crude is about 30 percent gasoline, which means that 200 million gallons of 1920s vintage leaked gas may still be in the ground beneath the Million Barrel Museum. Indicators of impact origin in small terrestrial craters, Beck, C. W. and LaPaz, L. (1951) The Odessa, Texas, Siderite (ECN=1025, 318). Copyright 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 United States Meteorite Impact Craters. McHone, J F. and Dietz, R. S. (1992) Earth's multiple impact craters and astroblemes (abstract). Weather: Weather Forecast Around 30 meteoric impact craters have been identified in the US, the majority not easily visible, either as the site is buried beneath sediment, or because the diameter is too large (up to 37 miles) but the relief is very low. 1, Paper D, pp. United States Meteorite Impact Craters - Odessa crater, Texas It is a hole in the ground that only a geeky scientist will get excited about. Drinking water is provided. Abstracts of the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access. Ok, so it's not THE meteor crater in Arizona. A. Credits, Media/Business Inquiries 1 P.M - 5 P.M Closed Monday Park Trail: Daily (Weather Permitting) . Odessa Meteor Crater Trail. Quick stop right off I-20 we were there for 15 mins. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! Only 2 miles off the interstate as well. Barringer, B. Hunting is not allowed today, either on the protected crater itself or on surrounding land, which is privately owned and developed. Has picnic tables. However, the shaft itself was a grand accomplishment for the study of the crater and its geology. Worth a quick stop if you need to stretch your legs if you are passing by. Interpretive signs point out specific features. ODESSA METEOR CRATER AND MUSEUM - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos). Odessa Meteor Crater; Where Space Met Texas Over 60,000 Years Ago Great Visit! Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. 1 Day: Transnistria and Odessa From Moldova Chisinau. Buddhue, J. D. (1939), The Oxidation of Meteorites. Keep Odessa and Texas Beautiful! Although several people realized that the depression and its fragments were unusual, no one recognized the site as a meteor crater until Elias H. Sellardsqv went to Ector County in 1922. Quick Facts: Currently 550 ft. across, 15 ft. deep. Violators will be prosecuted. Odessa Meteor Crater | Not what you expect Posted July 14, 2016 / Last Updated March 17, 2022 Tags: Attractions, Odd & Wacky On our way back from Guadalupe Mountains National Park we decided to stop at Odessa Meteor Crater outside of Odessa, Texas. Really a one-of-a-kind place to visit. Phone: 432-943-8401 . Though a lot of the crater is filled due to sand fill over the last 62,000 years, one can still get a good sense of the depression. Follow Odessa Meteor Crater Museum on WordPress.com. The Meteor Crater at Odessa (also known as Odessa Meteor Crater), the third largest meteor crater in the United States, is located ten miles southwest of Odessa and three miles south of Interstate Highway 20 in south central Ector County. Today it's known as the Million Barrel Museum. 531-532. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc1987/pdf/1273.pdf. (1967) Historical Notes on the Odessa Meteorite Crater., Beauford R. E. 2015. The crater is difficult to photograph from ground level.