Scientists have determined that a meteorite which impacted a residence in the United States predates planet Earth.
The celestial object was observed traveling through the atmosphere in broad daylight before fragmenting over the state of Georgia on June 26, according to NASA.
Researchers at the University of Georgia conducted an analysis of a fragment recovered from the roof of a home in McDonough.
Their findings indicate that the meteorite, based on its classification, is estimated to have originated approximately 4.56 billion years ago, making it roughly 20 million years older than Earth itself.
Residents throughout Georgia and neighboring states reported hundreds of sightings and a sonic boom as the fireball traversed the sky.
The object rapidly decreased in size and velocity, but maintained a speed of at least 1 kilometer per second as it penetrated the roof of a home in Henry County.
Multiple fragments that struck the building were collected and subsequently provided to scientists for compositional analysis.
“This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough,” stated Scott Harris, a geologist at the University of Georgia.
Utilizing optical and electron microscopy, Harris and his team identified the rock as a chondrite – the most prevalent type of stony meteorite, according to NASA – indicating an approximate age of 4.56 billion years.
The homeowner reported continuing to discover minute particles of space debris around his residence following the impact.
Designated the McDonough meteorite, the object represents the 27th meteorite recovered from the state of Georgia.
“This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years,” Harris noted.
“Modern technology, in addition to an attentive public, is going to help us recover more and more meteorites.”
Harris plans to publish his findings on the composition and velocity of the asteroid, contributing to a better understanding of the potential threat posed by future asteroid impacts.
“One day there will be an opportunity, and we never know when it’s going to be, for something large to hit and create a catastrophic situation. If we can guard against that, we want to,” he concluded.
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