HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ — A metal object that tore a hole through the roof of a central New Jersey home this week, slammed into a hardwood floor and bounced around a room, was a meteorite, experts announced Thursday.
Scientists from the College of New Jersey determined that the 6-by-4-inch object, which weighs about 2.2 pounds, is a rare stony chondrite meteorite. They came to that conclusion after conducting a visual examination, taking density measurements, and scanning electron microscope images. They were assisted in their work by Jerry Delaney, a retired meteorite expert from Rutgers University and the American Museum of Natural History.
“Having the opportunity to examine the meteorite (Wednesday) was a rare and exciting opportunity for me, as well as a group of physics students and faculty at TCNJ,” said Nathan Magee, chair of the school’s physics department. «We are excited to be able to confirm that the object is a true chondrite meteorite, in excellent condition, and one of a very small number of similar attested chondrite falls known to science.»
The family that owns the home discovered the potato-sized black rock in a corner, still warm around 12:30 p.m. Monday. Experts believe that she hit the house a short time before it was found.
No one was injured and there was no serious damage to the residence, police said in Hopewell Township, north of the state capital of Trenton.
Suzy Kop, whose family owns the house, said they initially thought someone had thrown a rock into an upstairs room on Monday, but they soon realized that this was not the case. Kop said hazmat officials went to her home to check on him and her family in case they had been exposed to some type of radioactive material, but all those checks were negative.