One Big Hole in the Middle of Nowhere
Written: Nov 26 '99 (Updated Dec 12 '99)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A relatively unique geological feature
Cons: You can't go in the crater
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| ErgoPropterHoc's Full Review: Barringer Meteorite Crater |
Barringer Meteorite Crater (also known simply as "Meteor Crater") is a gigantic crater in the Arizona desert. It is really in the middle of nowhere - there's not a town (or even a major highway) for miles around. Yet it is certainly a worthwhile destination for the astronomically inclined traveler.
One of the first things you may notice about Meteor Crater is that it is NOT a national or state park; it is a privately owned and operated attraction. If you've been park-hopping with a Golden Eagle Passport (as I was) it can come as a little bit of a shock to have to shell out for a ticket (no AAA discount, either.) Yet the ticket price is certainly not exorbitant, and the museum that accompanies the crater is entertaining and educational.
The museum is made up of two pretty much distinct topics - first, an in depth display of astronomy and astrophysics relating to meteor(ite)s; and second, a retrospective on the Apollo program. This second part contains more detailed history and information about the Apollo program than you will encounter most anywhere else, including NASA's tourist facility in Houston. The reason for all of this Apollo nostalgia here is because NASA conducted a significant amount of the astronaut on-the-moon training here, since the crater is similar to the environment on the moon.
You might be disappointed that you don't get to go down into the bowels of the crater. I can understand that they don't want tourists traipsing around the crater and destroying the place, but it would have been nice to actually walk down and admire the crater from the bottom. Instead, they have a dummy dressed up as an astronaut standing at the bottom. If you want to get a picture of him, bring a really strong telephoto lens for your camera.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ErgoPropterHoc
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Location: Evanston, IL
Reviews written: 71
Trusted by: 66 members
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