Suspected meteorite strikes New Jersey home

A metallic object thought to be a meteorite crashed through the roof of a home in New Jersey. 

Hopewell Township Police said the oblong object was about four inches by six inches. It penetrated the home’s roof and ceiling before landing on a hardwood floor. 

Although the home was occupied at the time, no one was injured. 

The American Meteor Society received a report of a fireball over the skies of Union, New Jersey, about 40 miles to the south of Hopewell Township, Monday afternoon. It has not been confirmed if the fireball and meteor are connected. 

“The fireball or meteor went from top left to bottom right and looked [like] a huge white streak with hints of other colors within the tail with a bright white ball at the head of it before finally disintegrating,” the report said. 

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Hopewell Township Police noted that the meteor may have been connected to the Eta Aquariids meteor shower. The meteor shower peaked over the weekend, but is expected to continue for at least the next week. 

The meteor shower is caused by leftover bits from Halley's comet hitting Earth’s atmosphere. Halley's comet was last seen by casual observers in 1986. The comet is expected to reenter the solar system in 2061, NASA said. 

Officials said they have contacted other agencies to help identify the object.