'Interstellar fragments in my hands': An astronomer's quest to touch the stars takes flight — in the ocean
In 2014, the first documented meteorite from outside our solar system struck Earth with a spectacular splash.
First detected by a satellite network designed to spot dangerous asteroids, the interstellar space rock exploded into a fireball above the Pacific Ocean.
Shards ranging in size from basketballs to marbles shattered as they plunged into the water at 1,680 miles per minute generating a massive steam cloud, and the subsequent shockwave buffeted an island 62 miles away.
The meteorite’s extreme speed — much faster than a near-Earth asteroid or comet — exposed its journey from somewhere potentially light years distant. ...
Feb 09, 2023
Astronomers may have lucked into the ultimate in cosmic baby pictures: a voracious black hole fresh from its violent birth.