Our Astronomical Column

Abstract

Large Meteors. An illustrated article by James Stokley, issued by Science Service of Washington, D.C., describes some of the largest meteor falls on record. There is a striking illustration of Meteor Crater, Arizona, which is 4000 feet in diameter, and strongly resembles one of the smaller lunar craters. It is now generally agreed, from the age of the trees on its rim, that this was formed by the fall of a gigantic meteor, not less than seven centuries ago. A sketch of an equal area located among the sky- scrapers of New York shows what enormous damage might be done by such falls if they came in populous districts. The largest in modern times fell in the Yenisei Province of Siberia on June 30, 1908, when the area affected was 40 miles in diameter; there was great destruction of animals and trees.