Article input 2023-05-10 17:52:28
Edit article 2023-05-10 17:52:28
A likely meteorite fell on the roof of a house in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. Courtesy of Hopewell Township Police.
A stone presumed to be a meteorite fell through the roof of a house.
Local media such as CNN reported on the 9th (later local time) that “a metallic stone fell through the roof of a house located in Hopewell Township, New Jersey around 1:00 pm on the 8th.”
The stone is characterized by its elongated shape and overall black and grayish color. Experts have not yet come up with an accurate assessment, but it is said that it is almost certain to be a meteorite, judging from the scorched shape and metallic nature.
Police in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, estimate that the stone is part of the Eta Aquarius meteor shower observed in North America in the early morning of the 6th.
The Eta Aquarius meteor shower is a meteor shower associated with Halley’s Comet, a short-period comet that approaches Earth with a period of about 75 to 76 years, and is characterized by observations in late April to early May.
“A stone fell on the roof of my father’s bedroom. At first, I thought someone had thrown a stone into the house from outside,” he said.
He continued, “I thought it was just an ordinary stone, so I put my hand on it and it was warm. Thank God my father wasn’t here and no one was hurt. He was delighted, saying, “It seems that he has received a gift from outer space.”
Meteorites, commonly called ‘space lotto’ because of their high value, vary in price depending on their composition. In particular, if the ingredient is iron, it is likely to be traded at a high price.
In February, a man was caught trying to smuggle a meteorite 27 cm in diameter and weighing 12.5 kg from Argentina. The meteorite is known to be worth more than 1 billion won.
