LOCAL NEWS
After loud boom across Utah, here’s why you should check your yard for treasure
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah astronomer says it’s possible that the meteor that streaked over Utah on Saturday exploded and scattered. If you can find any of the space rock, it can be extremely valuable.
“Some of them are more expensive than gold,” said Patrick Wiggins, a NASA volunteer serving as Utah’s ambassador.
He explained that meteorites look just like other rocks, so you probably won’t even notice unless it’s somewhere unusual, like your roof or driveway.
“Little did you know you just walked past a $50,000 rock,” Wiggins said.
Damage to your car from a meteorite could be your lucky day.
“When cars tend to get hit, collectors snap them up at a real premium. If you had a rock hit your car this morning, it might have just gone way up in value,” he said.
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Wiggins said the last time he can remember a meteor making a loud boom over Utah was 2009 or 2010.
“The fact that it was heard does make it a lot closer than most meteors,” he said. “Most meteors, you see them. You don’t hear them because they’re a long, long way away.”
The astronomer is eager to see a video that shows both the meteor and the boom.
He said the time between them stretched more than a minute, according to reports. Knowing exactly how long apart the sight and the sound are will make it easy to calculate exactly how far away that meteor was.
