Not every depression in the ground is a meteorite impact crater

In fact, most of them are not. There are several geologic (karst, glacial kettle), as well as anthropogenic (man-made), processes that make circular depressions in the ground. 

Most meteorites hit the ground at terminal velocity, about 200-400 miles per hour. That is not fast enough to make a crater unless the rock is large (>meter size? I really do not know). Meteorite impacts usually, at worst, make a divot. In a crater, material is ballistically ejected from the cavity, not just pushed aside. The only recent meteorite impact that made a crater of which I am aware is Carancas. The preimpact mass of the meteorite is not known but the Meteoritical Bulletin states “Metric tons?” More info here.

Stony meteorites also do not bury themselves into the ground to great depth, unless perhaps the ground is very soft.


Two people have sent me photos of what were clearly gullies on a steep slope that were formed by water running downhill. These were not formed by meteorites skipping or rolling along the ground.