* Astronomy

Ted Davidson indicates what he thinks was the trajectory of an object that landed in his backyard on South Woody Hill Road, Westerly.

Ted Davidson woke early Saturday to find a small crater - what he believes could be the impact of a meteorite - in his South Woody Hill Road home's backyard.
Investigating the hole, measuring roughly 2-feet across and 5-inches deep, Davidson, 57, said he doesn't believe it was caused by animals, lightning, or "blue ice" falling from an airplane.



Citing reports of a meteor shower that night, he said he believes a golf ball- or marble-sized meteorite - or "piece of space junk" - may have plummeted into the yard from a northern angle.

"It must have been quite an explosion," he said Monday. The impact sent grass and dirt flying several feet away, he added, pointing to some soil scattered across the lawn and tufts of grass splattered roughly 7 feet up on an Oak tree several feet away. Soil from the forest floor hidden 7 to 8 inches beneath the lawn churned to the top.

While he's curious to learn what object may be buried within, Davidson has left the area cordoned off until astronomers at the University of Rhode Island and Brown University reply to messages he left over the weekend. He also planned to call the Seagrave Memorial Observatory in Scituate.

Davidson said he suspects the meteorite fell sometime after midnight. He and his wife Nadine did not hear anything before heading to bed around 10:30 p.m. Friday.
Had the object travelled 30 feet closer, the couple said their house could have been struck.

"It could have gone right through the bedroom," Nadine Davidson said.

After living in the home for around 17 years, the Davidsons said they have never seen or heard of a falling object landing nearby.

"The most exciting thing we have is lightning striking in the woods. And I don't think this was lightning," Davidson said.
He discovered the hole as he left to fish around 5:30 a.m., and first thought one of his chickens or another animal dug it. Lightning would have been attracted to the nearby trees or artisan's well and blue ice from an airplane restroom would have left visible remnants, he said.

His metal detector beeps when hovered over the crater.

"There's definitely something in there," he said, estimating a foot and a half down.

Should scientists find anything, Davidson said he hopes to keep it.

"That's worth a lot of money - a piece of space," he said.

"I just wish I had been sitting on my porch and I would have seen it," he added. "Who else has a meteorite land in their yard?"

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