A brilliant fireball illuminated the skies across several Southern states, captivating onlookers as it streaked toward Earth at supersonic speeds. The celestial object, later identified as a meteorite, made a dramatic landing by punching through the roof of a home near Atlanta, Georgia, leaving a dent in the floor and a story for the ages. University of Georgia planetary geologist Scott Harris, who analyzed 23 grams of fragments from the cherry tomato-sized meteorite, revealed that this cosmic visitor formed 4.56 billion years ago—approximately 20 million years older than Earth itself.

Under microscopic examination, Harris determined that the meteorite originates from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, likely resulting from the breakup of a larger asteroid some 470 million years ago. This extraordinary find, dubbed the "McDonough Meteorite" after the Georgia city where it landed, is now under review by the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society.

Scientists from the University of Georgia and Arizona State University are collaborating to document and submit their findings, highlighting the meteorite’s significance in understanding the solar system’s ancient history. The event serves as a vivid reminder of the dynamic and ancient universe, with fragments from billions of years ago occasionally making their way to Earth in spectacular fashion.

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