A study of Lonar lake- a meteorite-impact crater in basalt rock

Abstract

The Lonar lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, India, is a meteorite-impact crater. The uniqueness of this crater is that it has been formed in a strata of hard igneous rocks known as basalt rocks. Astronomers compare this crater with those of the moon. Due to its uniqueness and its large size, it has become one of the most important craters in the world. An attempt has been made here to gather and study the information available about this crater. It is intended through this article to draw the attention of the astronomical community at large to this rather rare cosmic phenomenon in the hope that the preservation and development of the crater and its surroundings can be taken up at the earliest.