Latest news with #Bootids
NDTV
6 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Meteorite That Crashed Into A Home In The US Is Older Than Earth, Study Finds
A new study has found that a meteorite that crashed into a home in Atlanta, Georgia, is estimated to be 4.56 billion years old, older than our planet Earth. On June 26, a meteorite blazed through Georgia's skies in broad daylight before exploding, as per NASA. Researchers at the University of Georgia analysed fragments of the extraterrestrial rock to classify it and trace its origins. Their analysis revealed that the meteorite, which formed 4.56 billion years ago, is approximately 20 million years older than Earth, Science Alert reported. In a Friday news release, University of Georgia planetary geologist Scott Harris announced his findings after studying 23 grams of meteorite fragments, which pierced a man's home and dented the floor in McDonough, Henry County. Mr Harris examined the fragments under microscopes and determined they originated from a meteorite formed 4.56 billion years ago, predating Earth's estimated age of 4.54 billion years. "This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough, and in order to totally understand that, we actually have to examine what the rock is and determine what group of asteroids it belongs to," Mr Harris said in the news release. "This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years. Modern technology, in addition to an attentive public, is going to help us recover more and more meteorites," Mr Harris added. The geologist aims to publish his research on asteroid composition and speed, which could enhance our understanding of potential asteroid threats. Meamwhile, the homeowner reported still finding traces of space dust around his property from the impact. Named the McDonough meteorite, the object is the 27th meteorite recovered in Georgia. In June, a bright fireball lit up the southeastern US sky in broad daylight, prompting reports to the American Meteor Society. NASA confirmed the meteor's entry into Earth's atmosphere coincided with the Bootids meteor shower, a minor celestial event occurring late June. Around the same time, a resident of Henry County, Georgia, reported a rock crashing through his ceiling, later identified as the McDonough Meteorite. The meteorite pierced the roof, ceiling, and flooring of the home, causing significant damage.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Meteorite that hit home in US this summer is older than earth, researchers say
A meteorite that crashed into a home in Atlanta, Georgia, is older than our planet Earth, according to a scientist who examined a fragment of the space rock. 'This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough, and in order to totally understand that, we actually have to examine what the rock is and determine what group of asteroids it belongs to,' said Scott Harris, a researcher in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences' department of geology. Harris examined 23 of the 50 grams of meteorite fragments recovered from a piece the size of a cherry tomato that struck a man's roof like a bullet and left a dent in the floor of the home outside Atlanta. 'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris says. 'But in that breakup, some pieces get into Earth-crossing orbits, and if given long enough, their orbit around the sun and Earth's orbit around the sun end up being at the same place, at the same moment in time.' The geologist used optical and electron microscopy to determine that the rock was a chondrite, a type of meteorite that originated in the early solar system and is rich in carbon, water, and clay materials. In fact, according to NASA, chondrites are the most abundant type of stony meteorite. Harris said that scientists at the University of Georgia, along with colleagues from Arizona State University, plan to submit their findings to the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society. They have proposed naming the space rock the McDonough Meteorite, reflecting the name of the Georgia city where it struck the Earth. The University of Georgia said the meteorite studied by Hariss and the team , was the the 27th meteorite recovered in the history of the state, and was among the sixth witnessed fall. 'This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years,' Harris said. 'Modern technology in addition to an attentive public is going to help us recover more and more meteorites.' Over the years, scientists have sought to understand the role of meteorites in the formation of the solar system. Earth formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago. In its infancy, it was bombarded by meteorites, comets, and other material from space. In June, the American Meteor Society received reports of a fireball that streaked across the southeastern U.S. sky in broad daylight. NASA confirmed that the meteor entered Earth's atmosphere during the Bootids meteor shower, a relatively minor celestial event occurring in the last week of June. Around the same time, a resident of Henry County, Georgia, reported that a rock, now identified as the McDonough Meteorite, crashed through their ceiling, according to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. The object broke through the roof and ceiling before cracking the flooring inside the home. 'I suspect that he heard three simultaneous things. One was the collision with his roof, one was a tiny cone of a sonic boom and a third was it impacting the floor all in the same moment,' Harris said. 'There was enough energy when it hit the floor that it pulverized part of the material down to literal dust fragments.'
CNET
27-06-2025
- Science
- CNET
Look Up on Friday Night and You Just Might See the Bootids Meteor Shower
Earth gets pelted by meteors all the time, but only a few showers are large enough to warrant names. Bootids is one such meteor shower, and it generally occurs in June every year as the Earth moves through the tail of the 7P/Pons-Winnecke comet. For 2025, the best night to catch a potential glimpse of Bootids is this Friday, June 27. It isn't an easy meteor shower to spot. Its "radiant" -- the point in the sky from which the meteor shower appears to originate -- is in the constellation Boötes (hence the shower's name), which means herdsman or ox-driver in ancient Greek. Per Stellarium's sky map, Boötes will be in the western sky close to the horizon all Friday evening before dipping below the horizon at sunrise. This applies to the entire continental US, so there aren't any special instructions based on location. The reason viewers will need a little luck to see it is twofold. For starters, the constellation is pretty low on the horizon, which will make it much harder for anyone to see anything if they're in a well-lit city or suburb. Secondly, The American Meteor Association classifies Bootids as a Class III meteor shower. That means it may light up the sky with plenty of meteors or average less than one per day, even at its peak. We won't know how strong this year's Bootids will be until Saturday after the peak has passed. One meteor hit a Georgia house Despite its finicky nature, the shower did produce an incident here on Earth. On Thursday, a meteor entered Earth's atmosphere and mostly burned up, but did leave a golf ball-sized hole in a Georgia family's home. Observers reported seeing the meteor as far away as Tennessee, Florida, and North Carolina. Here's an excellent video showing the Georgia meteor that looks like something out of War of the Worlds. With Bootids at its peak, there is an increased risk of such an event occurring again. Tips for watching the Bootids meteor shower Much like real estate, it's all about location, location, location. City dwellers and suburbanites will have the hardest time seeing a shooting star since the light pollution of larger populated areas can get in the way of seeing dimmer meteors. For context, the Perseids meteor shower can spit out upwards of 100 meteors per hour, but in the city, you may see one to two per hour, if any at all. The best tip is getting out of the city as far as you're willing to go. The further out you go, the less light pollution will hinder your progress and the more meteors that will be visible. If you can swing it, take a pair of binoculars as well. Telescopes won't be necessary as they will restrict your view of the open sky too much, which may cause you to miss meteors. Other than that, the key is patience. With inconsistent showers like Bootids, it may be a consistent shower all night or bursts of activity. Finally, it's best to temper expectations. You may go home not seeing anything at all, especially if the weather is not on your side.
CNET
27-06-2025
- Science
- CNET
Look Up Friday Night, You Just Might See the Bootids Meteor Shower
Earth gets pelted by meteors all the time, but only a few showers are large enough to warrant names. Bootids is one such meteor shower that generally occurs in June every year as the Earth moves through the tail of the 7)/Pons-Winnecke comet. For 2025, the best night to catch a potential glimpse of Bootids is this Friday, June 27. It's not an easy meteor shower to spot. Its radiant — the point in the sky from which the meteor shower appears to originate — is in the constellation Boötes, hence the shower's name, which itself means herdsman or ox-driver in ancient Greek. Per Stellarium's sky map, Boötes will be in the western sky close to the horizon all Friday evening before dipping below the horizon at sunset. This applies to the entire continental US, so there aren't any special instructions based on location. The reason viewers will need a little luck to see it is twofold. For starters, the constellation is pretty low on the horizon, which will make it much harder for anyone to see anything if they're in a well-lit city or suburb. Secondly, The American Meteor Association classifies Bootids as a Class III meteor shower. That means it may light up the sky with plenty of meteors or average less than one per day, even at its peak. We won't know how strong this year's Bootids will be until Saturday after the peak has passed. Despite its finicky nature, the shower did produce an incident here on Earth. Early Friday, a meteor entered Earth's atmosphere and mostly burned up, but did leave a golf ball-sized hole in a Georgia family's home. Observers reported seeing the meteor as far away as Tennessee, Florida, and North Carolina. Here's an excellent video showing the Georgia meteor that looks like something out of War of the Worlds. With Bootids at its peak, there is an increased risk of such an event occurring again. Tips for watching the Bootids meteor shower Much like real estate, it's all about location, location, location. City dwellers and suburbanites will have the hardest time seeing a shooting star since the light pollution of larger populated areas can get in the way of seeing dimmer meteors. For context, the Perseids meteor shower can spit out upwards of 100 meteors per hour, but in the city, you may see one to two per hour, if any at all. The best tip is getting out of the city as far as you're willing to go. The further out you go, the less light pollution will hinder your progress and the more meteors that will be visible. If you can swing it, take a pair of binoculars as well. Telescopes won't be necessary as they will restrict your view of the open sky too much, which may cause you to miss meteors. Other than that, the key is patience. With inconsistent showers like Bootids, it may be a consistent shower all night or bursts of activity. Finally, it's best to temper expectations. You may go home not seeing anything at all, especially if the weather is not on your side.
The Citizen
27-06-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Bootid Meteor Shower: How to see ‘Shooting Stars' tonight
Pretoria skywatchers, get ready — the Bootid meteor shower is expected to peak tonight, and South Africans might be in for a treat just after sunset. Although the June Bootids are known for being unpredictable — with anything from a few to over 100 meteors per hour — the timing works in our favour this year. The best chance to spot 'shooting stars' will be after sunset, once the sky darkens over Gauteng. According to astronomers, the radiant point of the shower lies in the constellation Boötes, which will be high in the western sky just as twilight fades. To find it, look between the bright orange star Arcturus (easily visible in the evening sky) and Alkaid, the star at the end of the Big Dipper's handle. The meteor shower technically peaks around 07:00 SAST on Saturday morning, but with Boötes high overhead on Friday night, your best shot at seeing meteors in South Africa will be from 7pm onwards — especially in dark areas away from city lights. Here are some tips for viewing it tonight: When to watch: Friday night, June, 27, just after 7pm Where to look: High in the western sky, near the bright star Arcturus What to expect: The Bootids are unpredictable — you may see just a few, or a dramatic burst of meteors. So grab a blanket, head somewhere dark, and keep your eyes on the sky — Pretoria might just get lucky with a rare cosmic display this weekend. Also read: Celeste and her dog Shadow found safe Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
