Catholic school’s meteor crash landing simulation causes worry in Tasmania

A meteor crash landing simulation hosted by a catholic school in Tasmania put a school community in panic mode after photos were shared on social media. 

Over the weekend, images of scientists in biohazard suits analyzing a meteor that crash-landed on a playground in Corpus Christi Catholic School Lauderdale, Tasmania, began to surface online. However, the event was an educational activity set up for students on the school’s Meteorite Discovery Day, according to NCA Newswire. 

Initially, the community members near Hobart believed that an actual meteor had landed near the schoolyard. Local emergency services had to put out statements reassuring the public that the incident was not real. 

“We‘re trying to foster inquiries-based learning for the students, and we figured a great way to do that was to do something pretty wild,” said Deputy Principal Ben Morgan in a statement to NCA NewsWire.

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Moreover, a local construction, Mansfield Builders, help set up the realistic meteor landing using an excavator and a boulder. While the students and staff appeared to enjoy the event, local law enforcement also assisted in the simulation. 

“Lauderdale 4.1 and Police are on the scene of a meteorite which is crashed into the front of Corpus Christi Catholic School … The simulated set has certainly caught the eye of the students and budding scientists. This has been set up as a discovery day learning opportunity and is not real!” said Lauderdale Fire Brigade in a post on Facebook.

“Police participated in a simulated meteorite landing at Corpus Christi Catholic School this morning – assisting budding scientists in the discovery day learning opportunity,” said Tasmania Police in a statement, according to the wire report. 

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Schools officials were also forced to put a statement reassuring the community that a real meteor did not hit the facility. 

“We didn‘t expect it to go as big as it did on Facebook, it’s even been shared in Sri Lanka,” deputy principal Morgan concluded.