Time: 2024-07-17
New Yorkers have recently experienced a series of unusual occurrences , including an earthquake , an eclipse , and even the criminal trial of a former United States president . These events took place amid national political crises and record - breaking temperatures . On Tuesday , another extraordinary event captured the city 's attention - a meteoroid traveled millions of miles through space , entering the atmosphere and passing above iconic landmarks in the region.
One of the witnesses to this cosmic event was Pat Battle , an anchor on a local NBC News broadcast , who expressed wonder in her voice as she mentioned hearing the meteoroid . The meteoroid 's journey took it above the Statue of Liberty , zooming over New York Harbor and streaking across the Midtown Manhattan skyline before exploding high above the region.
Reports of a loud boom in parts of New York City and northern New Jersey prompted city officials to investigate the source of the noise . The New York City Emergency Management Department received information from NASA suggesting that a meteor had entered the atmosphere and disintegrated above the metropolitan area . Despite the dramatic entry of the meteoroid , no meteorites were produced , and there were no reports of damage or injuries.
According to the American Meteor Society , there were up to 20 possible sightings of the meteoroid between 11:16 and 11:20 a.m. NASA 's Bill Cooke provided details on the meteoroid 's trajectory , indicating that it passed over the Statue of Liberty before disintegrating 29 miles above midtown Manhattan . The size of the meteoroid was estimated to be about a foot across , traveling at a speed of 34,000 miles per hour.
Chief Meteorologist Lee Goldberg explained that the heat and high temperatures on the day of the meteoroid 's appearance could have amplified the sound of its explosion . The presence of a temperature inversion , where temperature increases with height , may have contributed to the sound traveling further . Sound waves move faster in warm air compared to cold air , which can result in louder sounds being heard over greater distances.
Bill Cooke from NASA 's Meteoroid Environments Office noted that the daylight fireball was a rare occurrence , as meteors are typically observed at night . The speed at which the meteoroid was traveling caused it to heat up , leading to its visible display in the sky . Despite the speculation on whether the loud booms were from the meteoroid or other military activities , the event left witnesses amazed and pets startled by the unexpected commotion.
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