For the first time, the sound of a meteorite hitting Earth has been captured. A historic record that promises to impress and reveal secrets of the cosmos.
An amazing event has taken place on Prince Edward Island, Canada. For the first time, the sound and image of a meteorite falling to Earth was recorded by a Ring doorbell camera.
The impact occurred on July 25, 2024, right at the entrance to the home of Joe Velaidum and his wife Laura.
Joe and Laura were walking their dogs when the meteorite hit the spot where it had stopped minutes before. The scare was great. “If I had taken a little longer, I would have been hit. It’s scary to think about it,” Velaidum said.
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Unprecedented capture of sound and image
The Ring camera captured the moment the meteor streaked across the sky and hit the ground, producing a loud bang that caught the attention of Laura’s parents, who live nearby. “My father-in-law thought it was a meteor, but I thought it was unlikely until we saw the video,” Velaidum said.
The footage shows the meteorite hurtling towards the ground and scattering fragments across the walkway of the house. Debris was scattered in all directions when the couple returned from walking their dogs.
Scientific confirmation of the meteorite
Curious, Velaidum collected the fragments, described as “star-shaped,” and sent them to the University of Alberta for analysis. Chris Herd, the university’s renowned curator of the Meteorite Collection, confirmed their authenticity.
He revealed that the meteorite was a common chondrite, coming from the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter.
“This meteorite traveled millions of miles before it landed on Joe’s doorstep. It’s surreal. Every time we get the chance to study something like this, it’s a glimpse into deep space,” Herd said.
A close encounter
Velaidum’s account makes clear how chance played a crucial role. He said he only stopped at the impact site to move a dog leash that was lying on the lawn. “I never stop there, it was just random,” he said. Minutes later, the meteorite landed exactly where he was standing.
The impact, although not causing any injuries, left the ground covered in small black stones. Velaidum reported: “It looked like someone had thrown coal on the walkway. I never imagined it could be something from space.”
Unprecedented discovery in the region
Herd noted that the “Charlottetown Meteorite,” as it has been nicknamed, is the first meteorite recorded on Prince Edward Island. “This makes the discovery even more unique. Not only do we have the material to study, but we also have an unprecedented visual and audio record. It is a scientific milestone,” he explained.
The sound captured by the camera was described as something completely new, something never recorded before. “It’s not just the visual impact, but the audio as well. It helps us understand how these events occur in a more complete way,” Herd added.
Fragments of space
The meteorite fragments weighed 95 grams in total and were described as being typical of chondrites, which are the most common space rocks to hit Earth. Herd stressed the scientific importance of each recovered sample: “These fragments are like time capsules, carrying information about the formation of the solar system.”
Although a rare occurrence, the impact raised questions about the safety of residents in urban areas and how similar events can be monitored in the future.