On this day in space! Oct. 9, 1992: Peekskill meteorite hits car in New York after streaking through the atmosphere
On October 9, 1992, a bowling-ball-sized meteorite crashed through the trunk of a parked Chevrolet Malibu in Peekskill, New York. Thousands of residents across the U.S.
On October 9, 1992, a bowling-ball-sized meteorite crashed through the trunk of a parked Chevrolet Malibu in Peekskill, New York. Thousands of residents across the U.S. East Coast witnessed the space rock streak through the sky before impact. The 27-pound space rock hit the car at roughly 179 miles per hour, leaving a smoking-hot fragment and a dent in the driveway.
Eighteen-year-old owner Michelle Knapp discovered the damage after hearing a loud noise from inside her home. According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, high-school football game cameras captured rare video footage of the descending fireball. This extensive film coverage allowed scientists to calculate the meteorite's solar orbit and atmospheric flight path.
The event marked only the fourth recovered meteorite with detailed trajectory data. The damaged car and portions of the meteorite later gained lasting public and scientific fame, with pieces displayed in museums and sold at auctions.
The story so far
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Original publication: 9 October 2026 21:51
