ATHENS, GA.Scott Harris, a planetary geologist at the University of Georgia, has determined that a blazing meteorite that ripped through a homeowner’s roof in Georgia this summer is older than the Earth itself.
Before it hit a house outside of Atlanta on June 26, witnesses in a number of Southern states claimed to have seen the bright fireball shoot across the sky. The thing, moving faster than sound, damaged the floor, punched a hole in the roof, and left behind pieces as small as a cherry tomato.
A Rare and Ancient Visitor From Space
According to Harris’ analysis of 23 grams (0.8 ounces) of meteorite shards, they originated roughly 4.56 billion years ago, or 20 million years before Earth itself was created.
According to Harris, the meteorite can be linked to the disintegration of a much larger asteroid approximately 470 million years ago. It is part of a collection of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Scientific Significance and Next Steps
The University of Georgia team intends to submit their findings to the Meteoritical Society’s Nomenclature Committee in collaboration with researchers from Arizona State University. In honor of the Georgia city where it landed, they are suggesting that the space rock be called the McDonough Meteorite.
If approved, the name will be added to the official meteorite record, designating McDonough as a major astronomical discovery site.
Public Fascination With the Fireball
Many Southern states saw the daylight meteor, which sparked a flurry of calls, videos, and social media posts. Due to the rarity of these daylight fireballs, this event is both aesthetically stunning and extremely valuable from a scientific standpoint.
“This is a remarkable discovery,” Harris said. It gives us the opportunity to examine stuff that existed before our planet—a real fragment of the early solar system.
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