A meteor brighter than the planet Venus caught the attention of several East Coasters as it streaked across the sky on Tuesday morning. Estimated to have soared over New York City before disintegrating about 31 miles above Mountainside, New Jersey, the fireball was a rare sight that left residents in awe. The 1-foot diameter meteor, which was bright enough to be spotted in daylight, led to reports of shaking and loud booms in parts of New York City and northern New Jersey.
Reports started pouring in around 11 a.m. on social media, with many residents describing feeling shaking like an earthquake and hearing a loud boom. NASA has confirmed that the shaking and boom could be attributed to simultaneous military activity in the area, in addition to the meteor passing through the region between 10 a.m. and noon.
The New York City Emergency Management Department received an update from NASA, which estimated that the meteor entered the atmosphere and disintegrated above the New York City metropolitan area. Preliminary analysis indicates that the bright fireball passed over the Statue of Liberty before fragmenting high above midtown Manhattan, with no meteorites produced by the event.
The rare sighting of the bright fireball has left many fascinated, with residents from Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens in New York, as well as parts of northern New Jersey, being part of the experience. Bill Cooke, lead of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, highlighted that the sighting of a meteor of this size is rarer than observing smaller particles typically seen in the night sky. With the meteor lighting up the day, it has sparked excitement and curiosity among those who were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary occurrence.
The unusual event has raised the awareness of the wider community about the marvels of the universe and has drawn attention to the significance of continued exploration of the skies above. As the scientific community continues analyzing the data from this event, it serves as a reminder of the extraordinary phenomena that unfolds in the cosmos, and the importance of the ongoing efforts to understand and appreciate our place in the universe.
