Chesapeake Bay impact crater
The Chesapeake Bay impact crater is a buried impact crater, located beneath the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, United States. It was formed by a bolide that struck the eastern shore of North America about 35.5 ± 0.3 million years ago, in the late Eocene epoch. It is one of the best-preserved "wet-target" impact craters in the world.
| Chesapeake Bay impact crater | |
|---|---|
Location of impact site in relation to North America | |
| Impact crater/structure | |
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 53 miles (85 km) |
| Depth | 0.81 miles (1.3 km) |
| Impactor diameter | 1.9 miles (3 km) |
| Age | 35.5 ± 0.3 million |
| Exposed | No |
| Drilled | Yes |
| Bolide type | L chondrite |
| Location | |
| Location | Chesapeake Bay |
| Coordinates | 37°17′N 76°1′W |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Municipality | Cape Charles |
Impact location Location of impact site in Virginia | |
| Access | U.S. Route 13 to S.R. 184 |
Continued slumping of sediments over the rubble of the crater has helped shape the Chesapeake Bay.
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