A rare and unprecedented meteorite strike was captured on video by a doorbell camera in Canada, providing valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.
A rare and unprecedented meteorite strike was captured on video by a doorbell camera in Canada. The footage, which is believed to be the first of its kind, shows the moment when a space rock crashed into a couple’s walkway.
According to the Meteoritical Society, Laura Kelly and her partner returned home after an evening walk in July and were surprised to find their walkway littered with dust and strange debris. They checked their security camera and saw something slamming against their entrance way, producing a cloud of smoke and a crackle.
The pair reported what they found to the University of Alberta’s Meteorite Reporting System, and the curator, Chris Herd, examined samples of the debris to confirm its interstellar origins. The fragments collected from the meteorite that fell in front of Laura Kelly’s home are believed to be bits of space rock that hit Earth after surviving a trip through its scorching atmosphere.
What is a Meteorite?
Meteorites are pieces of asteroids or other celestial bodies that have broken apart and fallen to Earth. They can weigh anywhere from a few grams to several tons, and their composition can provide valuable information about the formation and evolution of our solar system.
The space rock that crashed into Laura Kelly‘s home was officially registered on Monday and named Charlottetown after the city in eastern Canada where it struck. According to NASA, about 43,500 kilograms of similar debris strikes Earth every day, but it is much more likely to plunge into an ocean than onto someone’s front stoop.
The footage from July shows a rare moment when a complete meteorite strike was captured on video and sound. While cameras have captured meteors streaking through the sky during meteor showers, this footage is believed to be the first of its kind.
