Possible Meteorite Strikes Mercer County Home: Police

Hopewell meteorite : Possible Meteorite Strikes Mercer County Home: Police

A few weeks ago, a meteorite crashed through the roof of a home in Mercer County, sparking interest from curious readers. To shed some light on the topic, Patch reached out to Professor Juliane Gross from Rutgers University. Gross is an Associate Professor at the University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and her research focuses on investigating the formation and evolution of differentiated planetary bodies. The meteorite, which hit the roof, ceiling, and hardwood floor, is roughly 4″x 6″ and oblong in shape. Experts from The College of New Jersey confirmed that the age of the chondrite meteorite is around 4.56 billion years. The meteorite was handed back to the family who currently owns it. Gross answered a few questions about the meteorite, including its monetary value. According to Gross, meteorites are important in the study of planetary sciences as they are samples that can provide information about the early solar system and its processes. She also clarified that meteorites are not hot after they fall, and ordinary chondrites like this meteorite do not have commercial value. The family that owns the meteorite can donate it to a museum or university, have it classified for science, or keep it and show it off.

News Source : Sarah Salvadore