Hello everyone! Let’s talk about an incredible celestial event that had New Yorkers and folks in the surrounding areas looking up in awe on Tuesday morning. Around 11:15 a.m., a meteor, which NASA refers to as a “daylight fireball,” soared dramatically over the Statue of Liberty before disintegrating above Midtown Manhattan.
Imagine this: you’re walking through the city, and suddenly, a flash of fire streaks across the sky, the ground trembles lightly beneath your feet. That’s precisely what happened! People from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut reported seeing this spectacular event.
One observer even described the shooting star as glowing green, yellow, and white. It must have been an amazing sight, lasting about 30 seconds before breaking into three pieces.
NASA’s Meteor Watch provides some thrilling details. The meteor was first spotted about 40 miles above New York Harbor’s Upper Bay, right where the iconic Statue of Liberty stands.
Traveling at a mind-blowing speed of 34,000 miles per hour, it descended at a steep angle, just 18 degrees from vertical. This meteor passed right over Lady Liberty, disintegrating 29 miles above Midtown Manhattan.
Despite its fiery journey, this meteor didn’t produce any meteorites, which are pieces of debris that survive the trip through the atmosphere and hit the Earth’s surface. Thankfully, the city’s Office of Emergency Management confirmed that there were no reports of damage or injuries from this event.
Now, about that ground shaking. You might think it was caused by the meteor, but experts disagree. The US Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center did receive reports of shaking in northeast New Jersey and Staten Island.
However, they found no evidence of an earthquake. They noted that sometimes shaking with no seismic signal can be caused by atmospheric events like sonic booms or other weather phenomena.
This fireball was a rare treat, illuminating the daytime sky and capturing the imaginations of those lucky enough to witness it. Keep your eyes on the skies, folks – you never know when the next celestial show will take place!
And if you’re into stargazing, be sure to check out the upcoming meteor showers. You might just see another spectacular event like this one!
