A Glimpse into the Early Solar System: Meteorite Older Than Earth Discovered

A recent daylight fireball over Atlanta has yielded a remarkable discovery: a meteorite fragment that predates our own planet. The meteorite, linked to the Atlanta fireball event, has been studied by researchers and found to have formed a staggering 4.56 billion years ago, slightly older than the Earth's estimated age of 4.543 billion years.

A Fragment of Cosmic History

Scott Harris, a researcher at the University of Georgia, has been meticulously studying the recovered fragments. His findings indicate that this ancient space rock belongs to a group of asteroids originating from the main asteroid belt, situated between Mars and Jupiter. These asteroids are believed to be remnants of a much larger asteroid that experienced a significant breakup approximately 470 million years ago.

This breakup event scattered pieces into orbits that eventually crossed paths with Earth. Over vast stretches of time, the gravitational dance between our planet and these asteroid fragments, combined with their orbits around the sun, creates opportunities for them to intersect at the same point in space and time.

"It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago," Harris explained. "But in that breakup, some pieces get into Earth-crossing orbits, and if given long enough, their orbit around the sun and Earth’s orbit around the sun end up being at the same place, at the same moment in time."

This discovery offers a tangible link to the very early days of our solar system, providing valuable insights into the processes that shaped the planets we know today. Such findings underscore the ongoing mysteries and wonders that space continues to unveil.

Video Source: Ed Albin / AllSky7 Global Network