Exciting Discovery: Radar Technology Uncovers Meteorite Landings in Northern Washington County!

Recently, a radar site picked up several fast-moving objects entering the Earth’s atmosphere, landing near Codyville. This event sparked interest and excitement among experts and sky watchers alike.

Dr. Marc Fries from the Johnson Space Center explained that before Earth formed, smaller pieces of material, known as meteoroids, floated in space. When these objects enter our atmosphere, they become meteors, creating that bright streak we often see in the sky. If any part survives the fiery descent and lands on the ground, that piece is called a meteorite.

For example, on May 17, 2016, a meteor lit up the night sky over Maine, captivating viewers across northern New England. However, the recent meteor over Codyville was much smaller. According to Fries, it likely involved a few dozen small rocks, with survivors being about the size of a coffee cup or even smaller. So, we’re not talking about huge boulders here.

As meteors fall through the atmosphere, they often break apart. The Codyville meteor was traveling quite fast—over 24,000 miles per hour. NASA suggests that these meteoroids have been orbiting in a stable path for billions of years. Something must have nudged them out of their orbit, causing them to cross paths with Earth.

Such encounters can happen when a large asteroid or a planet like Jupiter exerts its strong gravitational pull. Because of this, some meteoroids get altered and eventually enter our atmosphere. NASA knows where these meteorites have landed in Codyville, but so far, they haven’t been recovered.