Meteor, possibly older than the Earth, captured on camera as it hurtles towards Georgia and impacts a residence
McDonough Meteorite Offers Glimpse into Early Solar System
A meteorite that crashed into a home in McDonough, Georgia, on June 26, 2025, has been named the McDonough Meteorite and classified as a Low Metal (L) ordinary chondrite. This ancient stony meteorite, formed approximately 4.56 billion years ago, is slightly older than Earth itself.
The meteorite, which entered Earth's atmosphere creating a daytime fireball bright enough to be recorded by satellites, was found to be older than Earth. Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) studied the fragment of the meteor and confirmed its classification.
The meteorite is tied to asteroids in the main belt that broke apart around 470 million years ago; fragments like this eventually came into Earth-crossing orbits, leading to their fall to Earth. The McDonough Meteorite will be stored at UGA for further scientific study, with additional fragments displayed at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia.
The incident marked only the 27th meteorite documented in Georgia and the sixth witnessed falling there. This rarity, however, is changing due to modern technology and public awareness, as discoveries of meteors like this are now happening multiple times a year.
A local driver named Josh Grant was the first to observe and record the meteor. The meteor crashed into a house, and about 23 grams of fragments were recovered. Using optical and electron microscopy, scientists confirmed its classification as an L-type ordinary chondrite, a common but ancient form of meteorite that formed in the early solar system's presence of oxygen.
The study of the McDonough Meteorite will contribute to our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system. The fragment provides a glimpse into the early history of our universe, offering valuable insight into conditions before Earth and the other planets formed. The recovery and study of each meteorite fragment help to unlock more history of the universe.
In summary, the McDonough Meteorite represents a very ancient fragment of the early solar system's building blocks, offering valuable insight into conditions before Earth and the other planets formed.
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