A meteorite crash in P.E.I. marks a historic first for the province, captured on video and sound
Laura Kelly and her partner were out walking their dogs when a rock from space hit the ground right where they had just been. They had no idea until they checked their doorbell camera and saw the whole thing unfold in just a couple of frames.
The impact left a star-shaped mark on their walkway, which they initially brushed off. But after seeing the footage, they realized they had something special on their hands. They quickly gathered the debris and reported it to the University of Alberta.
Dr. Chris Herd, who was on vacation in P.E.I., came to check it out and confirmed it was indeed a meteorite. It likely came from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. How cool is that?
This meteorite is now officially known as the Charlottetown meteorite and is classified as an ordinary chondrite. It’s made up of tiny particles that formed in space and have been floating around for billions of years.
What’s even more amazing is that this meteorite is the first ever found in P.E.I., and it’s also the first one to be captured on video and sound. Herd mentioned that it adds a whole new layer to the natural history of the island.
Interestingly, the meteorite shattered upon impact, which is a bit unusual. It had likely been weakened by previous collisions in space, and hitting the hard ground was just too much for it.
So, there you have it! A little piece of space history has landed in P.E.I., and it’s a story worth sharing.
