(Trends Wide) — What could be a meteor struck a home in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, authorities said Monday. The metal object went through the roof of a house and bounced around a bedroom. No one was in the bedroom at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported.
Police are still working to determine the precise nature of the object, though officials suspect it is related to the current meteor shower, called the Eta Aquarids, according to a statement from the Hopewell Township Police Department in New Jersey.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is an annual phenomenon in which debris from the famous Halley’s Comet falls into Earth’s atmosphere. The celestial event was expected to peak last Saturday, according to predictions from the American Meteor Association, though it will last until May 27.
What is believed to be a meteorite fell on a house in New Jersey. (Credit: Hopewell Township Police Department)
“I touched the thing because I thought it was a random rock,” Suzy Kop told Trends Wide affiliate KYW-TV. Kop, a local resident, said the rock fell through the ceiling of her father’s bedroom “and it was hot.”
“I just thank God my father wasn’t here. There was no one here, ”he added. “We weren’t hurt or anything.”
The outermost part of meteorites can reach blistering temperatures due to the incredible friction and pressure involved in plunging into Earth’s thick atmosphere at high speeds, though they normally cool off significantly by the time they hit the ground.
Space rocks hit Earth all the time, evenly distributed across the Earth’s surface. But hitting a house or a populated area is rare because most of our planet is covered by oceans or undeveloped areas.
However, it is not uncommon for a meteorite to fall.
In November of last year, for example, an object believed to be a meteor from the Taurid meteor shower struck a house in Northern California, according to Trends Wide affiliate KCRA in Sacramento. A fire broke out shortly after. Nevada County resident Dustin Procita was home with his two dogs at the time of the incident. One of the dogs died in the fire.
New Jersey authorities said the possible meteorite that struck Monday measured about 4 inches by 6 inches.
“It penetrated the roof and then impacted the hardwood floor before coming to a stop,” police said.
The Police Department “has contacted several other agencies for assistance in the positive identification of the object and the protection of the residents and the object.”
Meteors can be difficult to distinguish from other types of metallic rocks. Researchers looking for meteorites typically look for fusion crust, a glassy layer that forms on the outer surface of the cosmic object, which melts as the rock plummets through Earth’s atmosphere.
Another distinguishing feature is the potential weight of the specimen. A meteorite will be much heavier for its size than a typical rock on Earth because it is packed with dense metals.
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(Trends Wide) — What could be a meteor struck a home in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, authorities said Monday. The metal object went through the roof of a house and bounced around a bedroom. No one was in the bedroom at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported.
Police are still working to determine the precise nature of the object, though officials suspect it is related to the current meteor shower, called the Eta Aquarids, according to a statement from the Hopewell Township Police Department in New Jersey.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is an annual phenomenon in which debris from the famous Halley’s Comet falls into Earth’s atmosphere. The celestial event was expected to peak last Saturday, according to predictions from the American Meteor Association, though it will last until May 27.
What is believed to be a meteorite fell on a house in New Jersey. (Credit: Hopewell Township Police Department)
“I touched the thing because I thought it was a random rock,” Suzy Kop told Trends Wide affiliate KYW-TV. Kop, a local resident, said the rock fell through the ceiling of her father’s bedroom “and it was hot.”
“I just thank God my father wasn’t here. There was no one here, ”he added. “We weren’t hurt or anything.”
The outermost part of meteorites can reach blistering temperatures due to the incredible friction and pressure involved in plunging into Earth’s thick atmosphere at high speeds, though they normally cool off significantly by the time they hit the ground.
Space rocks hit Earth all the time, evenly distributed across the Earth’s surface. But hitting a house or a populated area is rare because most of our planet is covered by oceans or undeveloped areas.
However, it is not uncommon for a meteorite to fall.
In November of last year, for example, an object believed to be a meteor from the Taurid meteor shower struck a house in Northern California, according to Trends Wide affiliate KCRA in Sacramento. A fire broke out shortly after. Nevada County resident Dustin Procita was home with his two dogs at the time of the incident. One of the dogs died in the fire.
New Jersey authorities said the possible meteorite that struck Monday measured about 4 inches by 6 inches.
“It penetrated the roof and then impacted the hardwood floor before coming to a stop,” police said.
The Police Department “has contacted several other agencies for assistance in the positive identification of the object and the protection of the residents and the object.”
Meteors can be difficult to distinguish from other types of metallic rocks. Researchers looking for meteorites typically look for fusion crust, a glassy layer that forms on the outer surface of the cosmic object, which melts as the rock plummets through Earth’s atmosphere.
Another distinguishing feature is the potential weight of the specimen. A meteorite will be much heavier for its size than a typical rock on Earth because it is packed with dense metals.
