Near Tokyo, two fragments of a fireball that were seen earlier this month have been found in the night sky over wide areas of Japan.
The fireball was a meteorite that was observed around 2:30 a.m. on July 2 in the Kanto region of eastern Japan and elsewhere.
A resident of an apartment in the city of Narashino, Chiba prefecture, reportedly heard a loud thud at the time and then found two fragments of rock in front of the apartment’s entrance and in a garden. The resident reported the findings to a nearby museum.
Researchers at the Tokyo National Museum of Nature and Science say the rocks, weighing 63 grams and 70 grams, are believed to be meteorites, as they show signs of melting on the surface.
The researchers say the rocks emit radiation, indicating that they are from space.
Yoneda Shigekazu, who heads the investigation team, said a meteorite’s path is rarely traced as the fireball was captured on video by witnesses.
Yoneda said meteorites are valuable in studying asteroids.
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