A meteorite crashes through Canada's home, just missing the head of a woman.
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Ruth Hamilton was shocked when a large meteorite fell from space and through her roof, landing in her bed.
Golden, British Columbia resident, woke up to hear her dog barking and a crash.
Hamilton, 66, said that she had never felt so scared in her life. Hamilton spoke out about the Oct. 3 incident at 11:35 p.m. Hamilton added that she called 911 to get help. She then flipped over her pillow to see that a rock had fallen between two pillows.
She told CTV News Vancouver that she didn't feel the sensation. It never touched me. The drywall debris left behind a layer of dirt on my face, but it didn't cause any irritation.
Hamilton was able to get help from the police officer who arrived at the scene. He suspected that the object that fell on his bed was a construction debris.
She told the Canadian Press that she called the construction site and they claimed they hadn't done any blasts but had seen an explosion in a sky. "We realized it was a meteorite right there," she said.
The 2.8-pound space rock was about the same size as a small cabbage and was identified by Alan Hildebrand, a planetary science researcher at the University of Calgary's Department of Geoscience, and his collaborators. According to the group, the meteorite's trajectory would have been visible from all parts of southeastern British Columbia as well as central and southern Alberta if it had hit Hamilton's home.
Hamilton stated that she was still in shock following the incident. She said that the odds of such an incident happening were very slim and she was grateful to be alive.
Long odds, indeed. Peter Brown, a professor who holds the Canada Research Chair on planetary small bodies, says that there are only one to 100 billion chances of a meteorite large enough to penetrate a roof or hit a bed.
Brown appeals to the Golden public "to check their homes and businesses security cameras" in order to capture video of the meteor streaking across the sky. It is vital to track the origin of the meteor. Knowing its origin will give us a better chance of telling the complete story of this amazing astronomical event.
Ruth Hamilton claims she would like to keep the meteorite
Hamilton, who had an amazing experience, gave the meteorite over to scientists for them to study. However, Hamilton told The New York Times she wanted to keep it as a lucky talisman.
However, it is possible that the meteorite could be sold if she decides to sell it. Mendy Ouzillou, a member The Meteoritical Society, said that she has seen several fan sites on Facebook and also owns Skyfall Meteorites.
NPR's Ouzillou explains that there are many factors that can determine the value of a meteorite to collectors. However, Ouzillou says, "hitting a vehicle, going through roof...these meteorites over time acquire a mystique and increase in price."
He says that these so-called "hammerstones", which have crashed into something made of humans, are highly prized.
Ouzillou says that the material a meteorite is made from can make a huge difference.
He warns that Hamilton's sight unseen object is not worth valuing. He estimates it could fetch between $55,000 and $127,000 for a minimum of $40 to $100 per gram.
Ouzillou points out that it doesn't appear like she is willing to part ways with her lucky meteorite. He says, "Not everybody who finds a Picasso at their home wants to sell it."
