Science
NASA Captures New Images of Africa's Giant Circular Rock Formation
NASA has released fresh satellite images of the Richat Structure in Mauritania, a massive circular landform about 50 kilometres wide that scientists are still studying.
50 kmDiameter of the Richat Structure, wide enough to see from space
The facts
- 1The Richat Structure, nicknamed the 'Eye of the Sahara', is located in the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, West Africa.
- 2It measures roughly 50 kilometres across, making it large enough to be clearly visible from space.
- 3Scientists once thought it was created by a meteorite impact, but most now believe it formed when a dome of rock slowly eroded over millions of years.
- 4The circular rings you see in satellite images are different layers of rock that eroded at different speeds, revealing older rock underneath.
- 5NASA's Earth Observatory uses images like this to help geologists map rock types and understand how landscapes change over long periods of time.
Why it matters
Understanding ancient geological formations helps scientists learn how Earth's surface has changed over hundreds of millions of years. The tools NASA uses to study the Richat Structure — like satellite imaging — are also used to track climate change, desertification, and land use across Africa and beyond.
Sources
- NASA Earth Observatory
- BBC News
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