Posted on 05/10/2023 8:08:46 AM PDT by Red Badger
A photo of the suspected meteorite that hit a home in New Jersey on May 8, 2023. Photo courtesy Hopewell Township Police Department/Facebook
The week started with a bang for a homeowner in New Jersey after a likely meteorite blasted a hole through a house early Monday afternoon.
A metallic rock fell out of the sky and hit a house in Hopewell Township, N.J., located approximately 10 miles north of Trenton. The Hopewell Township Police Department responded to the incident and confirmed that the oblong-shaped rock damaged the building.
"It penetrated the roof, the ceiling and then impacted the hardwood floor before coming to a rest," the police department said. No one was injured during the incident.
An investigation is underway to identify the rock and to determine if it is indeed from space. Scientists will closely examine the rock, which appears to have a charred exterior and measures approximately 4 inches by 6 inches.
The Hopewell Township Police Department said that the meteorite could be related to the recent peak of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower, but it is still unclear if the two events are related.
Smaller space rocks typically burn up and disintegrate when entering Earth's atmosphere, but larger rocks can make it to the surface of the planet. Space rocks that reach the surface of the Earth are called meteorites.
Contrary to popular belief, many meteorites that hit the ground are not hot enough to start a fire. According to the American Meteor Society, meteors like the one that fell in New Jersey may be warm when they hit the Earth, but "probably reach the ground at only slightly above ambient temperature."
Although it's extremely rare for a meteorite to hit a house, there have been several notable incidents in the past.
On Oct. 3, 2021, a softball-sized meteorite crashed through a house in British Columbia, Canada, landing in a bed just inches away from a woman who wasing.
One of the most famous meteorite crashes in recent U.S. history took place on Oct. 9, 1992, when a 26-pound space rock hit a car parked in a driveway in Peekskill, New York, just north of New York City. The vehicle became world famous and was on display in several museums, including France's National Museum of Natural History.
Hope they grab all the chunk$$$$$$$$$
Looks like an autocorrect fail in the next to last line. “Wasing?”
Was sleeping................or some other thing that starts with ‘s’............... 😜😉
“On Oct. 3, 2021, a softball-sized meteorite crashed through a house in British Columbia, Canada, landing in a bed just inches away from a woman who wasing.”
It can be tough to pay close attention to one’s surroundings while one is wasing.
Think San Francisco, and much, much bigger rock.
It probably retained mass pretty well, if not completely.
Could be worth quite a chunk of change, unless NJ has some stupid law against it.
Home owners insurance will probably fight it saying there is no coverage for meteorites!
That rock should be worth more than enough to rebuild the house completely
“Acts of God” not covered, usually..................
I’d love to spend the day wasing away in bed. Wase, wase, wase...
Are they sure an airliner didn’t dump its sewer load?
Indeed...
Btt!!
Only 10 miles from Grovers Mill
Hmmmmmm.........
That’s a real place?..................
True, but it was just “a likely meteorite”!
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