A metal, rock-like object about the size of a golf ball and weighing nearly as much as a can of soup crashed through the roof of a Monmouth County home, and authorities on Wednesday were trying to figure out what it was. Read more
A metallic object, celebrated as a rare "meteorite," that crashed through the roof of an Indian couple's home in New Jersey earlier this year is "orbital debris," most likely from a satellite or a rocket, according to geologists.
Scientists had initially determined it was a meteorite. In late April, it was brought to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City so its composition could be examined by its new variable-pressure scanning electron microscope. The testing took a few hours. The microscope shoots electrons at the surface of the sample, which causes X-rays to be generated.
"From those X-rays, you can tell the composition and what elements are present in the sample'' - Jeremy Delaney, Rutgers University geologist.
The mysterious metallic object that crashed through the roof of a central New Jersey family's home earlier this year was not a meteorite after all, geologists said Friday. While the rocklike object looks like a meteorite, scientists say it is a stainless steel alloy that does not occur in nature and is most likely "orbital debris" _ or plain terms, scrap iron. It's still a mystery where the object came from.
Shankari Nageswaran is still trying to reconcile to her extraterrestrial visitor: "The fact that something from outer space hit our house ... it's overwhelming." The Nageswarans discovered a hole in the ceiling of their home in Freehold, N.J., made by a sparkling, metallic object, about the size of a golf ball on the night of Jan 2. Geologists have since confirmed that the 13-ounce rock is an iron meteorite, one of some 50 that hit the Earth annually. Most of these meteorites end up in the ocean or uninhabited areas, but one or two hit buildings every year. To date, only 5,000 meteorites have been found.
They walked past the nine-foot tall mastodon to a small case in the corner, standing on their toes so their eyes might catch an early look at the lemon-sized rock from outer space before their turn in line. After travelling several million miles through space, the meteorite that crashed through the third floor of a Freehold family's home Jan. 2 travelled a few more Saturday to the Rutgers Geological Museum where it was on display for one day only.
It caused a sensation earlier this month when it crashed through the roof of a Freehold Township family's home, landing in the bathroom. Now members of the public will have a chance to catch a glimpse of the golf ball-sized, silvery meteorite that came to the Garden State from outer space, Rutgers University announced Wednesday. Rutgers' geology museum in New Brunswick plans to hold a one-day display of the meteorite during its annual open house, scheduled for Saturday. Admission is free.
Upon further review, it came from outer space after all. The fist-sized hunk of rock that smashed through the roof of a Freehold Township home earlier this week was declared a genuine meteorite yesterday, making a bit of New Jersey history and solving a riddle that had everyone from local police to the Federal Aviation Administration hunting for answers.
Rutgers University geologists Jeremy Delaney, Gail Ashley and Claire Condie and Peter Elliott, an independent metallurgist who studied the object, determined it was an iron meteorite because of its density, magnetic properties, markings and coloration.