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January 18, 2025

Watch doorbell camera capture rare meteorite strike in Canada

The photo provided by the University of Alberta Meteorite Collection shows fragments collected from a meteorite which fell in front of a resident's home in Marshfield, P.E.I., Canada, in July 2024. Credit: University of Alberta Meteorite Collection/The Canadian Press via AP
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The photo provided by the University of Alberta Meteorite Collection shows fragments collected from a meteorite which fell in front of a resident's home in Marshfield, P.E.I., Canada, in July 2024. Credit: University of Alberta Meteorite Collection/The Canadian Press via AP

A doorbell camera on a Canadian home captured rare video and sound of a meteorite striking Earth as it crashed into a couple's walkway.

When Laura Kelly and her partner returned home after an evening walk in July, they were surprised to find their walkway littered with dust and strange debris, according to the Meteoritical Society, which posted the video with its report.

They checked their security camera and saw something slamming against their entranceway, producing a cloud of smoke and a crackle.

The pair reported what they found to the University of Alberta's Meteorite Reporting System and the curator, Chris Herd, examined samples of the debris to confirm its interstellar origins.

Credit: University of Alberta

Meteorites are bits of space rock that hit Earth after surviving a trip through its scorching atmosphere. About 48 tons (43,500 kilograms) of similar debris strikes Earth every day, according to NASA, but is much more likely to plunge into an ocean than onto someone's front stoop.

The also streak the as shooting stars during meteor showers which happen several times a year.

The footage is believed to be a first. While cameras have captured meteors streaking through the sky, it's rare to capture the sound of a complete strike on video.

The space rock, officially registered Monday, was named Charlottetown after the city on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada where it struck.

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A doorbell camera in Canada captured rare video and sound of a meteorite striking Earth, hitting a couple's walkway. The debris was confirmed to be of interstellar origin by the University of Alberta. While meteors frequently enter Earth's atmosphere, it is uncommon for them to be recorded striking the ground. The meteorite was named Charlottetown after the location of the impact.

This summary was automatically generated using LLM.