Scientists have disclosed that a meteorite which streaked across the sky and smashed into a house in the US in broad daylight on June 26 is actually older than Earth itself.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the space rock burst apart over the state of Georgia before striking a home in McDonough.

Experts at the University of Georgia analysed a fragment and, based on its composition, concluded that it formed about 4.56 billion years ago roughly 20 million years before our planet came into existence.

Residents across Georgia and nearby states reported hundreds of sightings, accompanied by a thunderous boom as the blazing fireball raced overhead.

By the time it hit the roof of a house in Henry County, the rock had slowed significantly but was still moving at around one kilometre per second.

Multiple fragments that hit the building were given to scientists, who analysed their origins.

“This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough,” said Scott Harris, a geologist at the University of Georgia.

Using optical and electron microscopy, Harris and his team identified the rock as a chondrite, the most common type of stony meteorite, according to Nasa. This confirmed its age of around 4.56 billion years.

The resident of the home said he is still finding pieces of space dust from the impact.

The object, now named the McDonough meteorite, is the 27th to be recovered from Georgia.

“This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years,” said Harris.

“Modern technology, in addition to an attentive public, is going to help us recover more and more meteorites.”

Harris is hoping to publish his findings on the asteroid’s composition and speed, which he believes will help in understanding the threat of future asteroids.

“One day there will be an opportunity, and we never know when it’s going to be, for something large to hit and create a catastrophic situation.

If we can guard against that, we want to,” he concluded.