Historic Discovery: Prince Edward Island Homeowner Captures First-Ever Visual And Audio Of Meteorite Strike
16th Jan 2025
A homeowner in Prince Edward Island has made a groundbreaking discovery, believed to be the first-ever documented combination of both the sight and sound of a meteorite striking Earth. Scientists suggest that this is the first time such an event has been captured in both visual and audio form.
A Fortuitous Timing
Joe Velaidum’s walk on a July afternoon in 2024 led to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Upon returning home, he was stunned to find dark debris scattered across his walkway and lawn. Velaidum checked his security camera footage and discovered a mini explosion at the exact spot where he had been standing moments earlier.

“The shocking thing for me is that I was standing right there a couple of minutes before this impact,” he told CBC News.
The timing of his departure proved a happy coincidence. Just seconds after leaving with his dogs, a meteorite crashed onto Velaidum’s front walkway in Marshfield, P. E. I. The impact was accompanied by a loud, reverberating smack.
The Meteorite Discovery
Following the explosion, a friend suggested the debris might be from a meteorite. Velaidum, intrigued by the possibility, collected about seven grams of the material. He sent it to Chris Herd, a meteorite expert based in Edmonton, for analysis.

Confirming The Find
Chris Herd, curator of the University of Alberta’s meteorite collection, confirmed the discovery as the “first and only meteorite ever found on the Island.” Upon reviewing photos of the fragments, Herd verified the material as a meteorite.
Interestingly, Herd had already planned a family trip to Prince Edward Island just 10 days after the meteorite’s fall. According to a news release from the University of Alberta, this could make it possible for him to visit the site where the meteorite had landed.
What Kind Of Meteorite Was That?
Analysis of the fragments confirmed that the meteorite was an ordinary chondrite, the most common type of meteorite to strike Earth. Chondrites are composed of small mineral grains that have not been altered by heating. This makes them important for studying the early solar system.
Herd explained that meteorites typically enter the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds around 60,000 km/h before slowing to terminal velocity. However, the meteorite that struck Velaidum’s property was likely still travelling at least 200 km/h when it hit the ground.
“It’s from the asteroid belt… between Mars and Jupiter, so it’s come a long way,” Herd noted.
Herd also mentioned that scientists occasionally observe meteorites heating up into “fireballs” as they pass through the atmosphere. When they land, they often leave behind physical evidence and can cause damage to structures. However, so far, there has not been any record of audio being captured from such a collision with a man-made object, making it truly a historic moment.
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