A striking image of an expansive crater nestled within the Banni Plains grassland of Gujarat has been captured by NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite.
Until February of this year, scientists in India had harbored suspicions, though lacking confirmation, regarding the origin of the strike mark on the landscape. However, recent analysis has unveiled distinct signatures indicative of a meteorite impact, validating their initial hypotheses.
The Luna impact crater, named after its proximity to a village sharing the same name, is vividly captured in the image taken by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard the Landsat 8 satellite. This shot was captured on February 24, 2024.
Stretching across roughly 1.8 kilometers in diameter, with its outer rim rising approximately 20 feet above the crater floor, it leaves a distinct mark on the landscape when observed from space.
Nestled within Gujarat state, amid the Banni Plains, Luna lies adjacent to the expansive Great Rann of Kutch, a vast white salt desert to the north. Often holding water due to its low-lying characteristics, the crater stands out as a prominent feature in this ever-changing environment. Researchers took advantage of a dry period in May 2022 to collect samples, revealing rare minerals and elevated concentrations of iridium, signaling the intense heat and pressure of a meteorite impact.
Radiocarbon dating of plant remnants within the silt indicates that the impact occurred approximately 6,900 years ago. Despite Luna’s proximity to remnants of ancient Harappan settlements, the exact timing of the impact relative to human presence remains uncertain, adding layers of intrigue to its geological and historical importance.
According to NASA, what distinguishes this crater as a significant site on the planet is the rarity of impact craters on Earth; fewer than 200 structures worldwide are confirmed in the Earth Impact Database.
Nasa explained that the relatively small number of craters is partly because many meteorites that survive the journey through Earth’s atmosphere ultimately plunge into water.