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Doorbell camera catches rare footage of meteorite striking home's front walkway

Joe Velaidum and his partner, Laura Kelly, set out to walk their dog when their doorbell camera captured a meteorite striking their front walkway — where Velaidum had been standing moments before.

While the doorbell footage showing its arrival is not the first caught on video, it’s remarkable because the incident was captured at very close range and with recorded sound, according to Dr. Chris Herd, a professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Alberta in Canada. “I have the expertise that I’ve looked at hundreds, if not thousands of these types of photos,” Herd said, noting that meteorites are coated with a black shell that forms when space rocks react with Earth’s thick atmosphere while traveling more than 45,000 miles (72,420 kilometers) per hour. What makes the occurrence more special, Herd said, is the fact that a camera captured the moment of impact — a stunning observation not just because it confirms the meteorite’s arrival, but also because the footage can benefit science.

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