Object that fell through roof of New Jersey home not a meteorite
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{{date|May 12, 2007}}

An object that fell through the roof of a [[w:New Jersey|New Jersey]] home in January was not a [[w:meteorite|meteorite]], according to Jeremy Delaney, a geologist at [[w:Rutgers University|Rutgers University]]. Instead, it appears the object was space junk or orbital debris.

"Basically, it's a piece of stainless steel. There's huge amounts of material that have been left by the various space programs of the world," said Delaney.

The meteorite shaped object was not from a naturally occurring substance and had a silver like reflection. It weighed about the same as a small can of soup, 13 ounces (about 370 grams), but was no bigger than a golf ball.

Earlier during the incident, scientists from Rutgers examined the object visually along with police who were at the scene, and determined it was a meteorite. But further tests by geologists confirmed that it was not a meteorite, but probably a metal piece from a rocket or satellite. They had earlier thought it was made of [[w:iron|iron]].

"That's the nature of science. If the conclusion from the test says it's not a meteorite, then it's not a meteorite. We have to move forward," said Srinivasan Nageswaran, a member of the family that found the object.

==Related News==
*{{wikinews|title=Meteorite falls through roof of house in New Jersey|date=January 6, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070512/NEWS/705120341/1004/NEWS01
|title=Tests show object isn't meteorite
|author=Joseph Sapia
|pub=Asbury Park Press
|date=May 12, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-6626787,00.html
|title=`Meteorite' Turns Out to Be Space Junk
|author=Janet Frankston Lorin
|pub=Guardian Unlimited
|date=May 12, 2007}}

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[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:Wackynews]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:New Jersey]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Rutgers University]]
[[Category:Orbital debris]]

[[fr:La « météorite » du 2 janvier, dans le New Jersey, n'en était pas une]]


</noinclude>
An object that fell through the roof of a New Jersey home in January was not a meteorite, according to Jeremy Delaney, a geologist at Rutgers University. Instead, it appears the object was space junk or orbital debris.

"Basically, it's a piece of stainless steel. There's huge amounts of material that have been left by the various space programs of the world," said Delaney.

The meteorite shaped object was not from a naturally occurring substance and had a silver like reflection. It weighed about the same as a small can of soup, 13 ounces (about 370 grams), but was no bigger than a golf ball.

Earlier during the incident, scientists from Rutgers examined the object visually along with police who were at the scene, and determined it was a meteorite. But further tests by geologists confirmed that it was not a meteorite, but probably a metal piece from a rocket or satellite. They had earlier thought it was made of iron.

"That's the nature of science. If the conclusion from the test says it's not a meteorite, then it's not a meteorite. We have to move forward," said Srinivasan Nageswaran, a member of the family that found the object.


fr:La « météorite » du 2 janvier, dans le New Jersey, n'en était pas une
Space Science and technology Wackynews North America United States New Jersey Disasters and accidents Rutgers University Orbital debris