Nowadays, we have many cameras in our homes and phones. So, it is not surprising to catch special moments, like when a meteorite falls. A video from Prince Edward Island, Canada, might be the first to show this.
In July 2024, a Ring doorbell camera recorded a meteorite falling. It also captured the sound of it hitting the pavement outside Joe Velaidum and Laura Kelly’s house. Geologist Chris Herd from the University of Alberta said this might be the first time anyone has recorded the sound of a meteorite fall.
Joe and Laura were walking their dogs when the impact happened. When they got home, they found gray debris on their walkway. They learned from neighbors that a loud noise was heard. Curious, Joe checked the camera.
Most space rocks burn up in the atmosphere. However, small pieces can reach the ground. Joe found some bits of the meteorite nearby. The impact even made a small crater, only 2 centimeters wide.
The meteorite is an ordinary chondrite. These rocks help us learn about the early Solar System. If you want to find space dust, you can check your roof gutters. Happy hunting!
Vocabulary List:
- Meteorite /ˈmiː.ti.ə.raɪt/ (noun): A solid fragment of a meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and impacts the ground.
- Impact /ˈɪm.pækt/ (noun): The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.
- Debris /dəˈbriː/ (noun): Scattered pieces of waste material or remains.
- Crater /ˈkreɪ.tər/ (noun): A bowl-shaped depression formed by the collision of a meteorite with a planet or moon.
- Atmosphere /ˈæt.mə.sfɪər/ (noun): The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
- Ordinary /ˈɔː.dɪ.nəri/ (adjective): With no special or distinctive features; normal.
How much do you know?
