Where Is the Eye of the Sahara?

The Richat Structure, nicknamed the "Eye of the Sahara" or "Eye of Africa," is a deeply eroded geological dome about 40 km across, with concentric rings of resistant quartzite ridges alternating with softer rock valleys. Initially thought to be a meteorite impact crater (due to its circular shape), it is now understood to be the result of uplift and differential erosion of alternately hard and soft rock layers, possibly triggered by volcanic intrusion. The structure was virtually unknown until early space missions; Gemini astronauts in the 1960s used it as a landmark because it is one of the few easily identifiable features in the vast, featureless Sahara. Some fringe theories link the Richat Structure to the legendary lost city of Atlantis described by Plato, though there is no scientific evidence for this. The structure is so remote that few tourists visit despite its otherworldly appearance.