On Monday (May 8), a meteorite-like object smashed into a New Jersey residence, destroying a bedroom but causing no casualties.
At approximately 1 p.m. EDT on Monday, the meteorite smashed through the roof and landed in Kop’s father’s bedroom. It appears that the meteorite struck the floor, bounced to the ceiling, and ultimately landed in the corner of the room based on the damage.
Origin of the Meteorite
New Jersey police reported that the meteorite was approximately 4 inches by 6 inches in size, which is equivalent to 10.16 centimeters by 15.24 centimeters in the metric system, and is thought to have originated from the Eta Aquarid meteor shower.
Meteor showers occur when numerous meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere, usually coming from a parent asteroid or comet, and can be predicted with some regularity based on the orbits of these celestial bodies.
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, which peaks in early May each year, is one such meteor shower. Unlike other meteor showers, the Eta Aquarids do not originate from an asteroid, but from debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, also known as Comet 1P/Halley.
This comet’s debris enters Earth’s atmosphere twice a year, in May for the Eta Aquarids and in October for the Orionids.
NASA notes that the Eta Aquarids meteor shower is characterized by its high speed, with its meteors traveling at approximately 66 kilometers per second or about 200 times the speed of sound.
Although it is extremely rare for a meteor to survive the journey to Earth, it is still possible.
Read more: Mystery Of Object Over 10 Million Times Brighter Than The Sun Puzzles Scientists
Devastating Consequences
A similar incident occurred in November when a home in Nevada County, California was struck by an object believed to be a meteor from the Taurid meteor shower.
During the incident in California, a meteor believed to be part of the Taurid meteor shower hit a house, resulting in the destruction of the property and the death of one of the dogs. The incident involved the homeowner and his two dogs.
Despite the potential destruction from a meteor impact, the rocks themselves are not harmful and cool rapidly after landing. They are not typically radioactive or contaminated.
Read more: Mahathir Mohamad: The US’s Anti-Russian Policies Are Provoking A Global Conflict