Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Google Earth Can Make You Famous

Thursday, 27th March 2008 by Alex

A geologist with the Geological Survey of Western Australia, Dr. Arthur Hickman, was using Google Earth to look for iron ore when he noticed an unusually circular structure within the landscape. After a visit by a colleague this huge dent was confirmed to be a previously undiscovered meteorite crater!

This particularly well preserved crater is some 270 metres across, and despite Mr Hickman’s employers having mapped the area around 20 years ago, until this point had been completely overlooked. Not surprising then that it was named “The Hickman Crater“.

Which all goes to show that there really are still things to be discovered out there, and all you have to do is start exploring in Google Earth! Just make sure you pay close attention to any unusual landforms…

Read the whole story at theage.com.au.

Thanks to Peter.

3 Responses to 'Google Earth Can Make You Famous'

  1. 1. nova72 says:

    I wonder if this is a crater too,
    if so and if it’s not previously discovered, I claim it!
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
    here is a huge hole in the grund
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  2. 2. koen says:

    He might have found a crater, but I found a treasure! X marks the spot.

    Fascinating landscape over there by the way. Weird colors. And looooooong trains too.

  3. 3. nova72 says:

    I was wondering what this the dark, long line running from the northeast to the southwest was?
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    My initial thought was fault line.
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    So I checked it out on Google Earth and put the vertical exagerration on 3, and it turns out its a slight ridge line and it is about 43 miles/ 69 km long.

    Anyone know if it has a name? If not I call it Nova Ridge.

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