Look up in the sky! It’s not just a bird or a plane – it’s a 4.56-billion-year-old meteorite! That’s right, folks, NASA has confirmed that a dazzling fireball witnessed soaring across Georgia and the Southeast on June 26 was actually a meteor, and it’s making headlines for being older than our very own planet!

This spectacular cosmic event unfolded as the meteor, affectionately dubbed the “McDonough Meteorite,” was caught on camera by a viewer named Lindsey Rodney from Atlanta News First. The video has gone viral, captivating the imaginations of skygazers everywhere. But what’s even more astonishing? This meteorite didn’t just blaze through the atmosphere; it actually crashed into a house just outside Atlanta, leaving behind fragments for scientists to study!

According to a press release from the University of Georgia, which provided insights from planetary geologist Scott Harris, the meteorite struck a home in Henry County. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported. Harris and his team collected about 23 grams of meteor fragments from the roof and studied them under a microscope. Their findings? This celestial rock is a staggering 20 million years older than Earth itself! Now that’s a historical artifact that could certainly tell some stories.

This meteorite not only offers a glimpse into the early solar system but also ignites a fascination that resonates with both scientists and the general public alike. It’s a reminder of how tiny we are in the grand scheme of the universe – and how extraordinary our cosmic neighbors can be!