A meteor exploded over Vermont with the power of 440 pounds of TNT, according to NASA Meteor Watch. Many people throughout New England heard and saw the meteor.
“Heard it in Northeast Vermont, it sounded like a large boom and then about 3 seconds of rumbling. Thought a bomb went off!” wrote one eyewitness on Facebook. According to Live Science, the meteor was the “size of a bowling ball.” NASA Meteor Watch puts the object’s size at “10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) and 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter.”
The meteor was caught streaking across the sky on an airport camera. You can watch the video later in this article.
NASA’s Meteor Watch page on Facebook reported that there was a “fireball over northern Vermont.”
“Eyewitnesses in the NorthEast and Canada are reporting seeing a bright fireball this evening around 5:38 PM Eastern Standard Time,” the page wrote on March 7, 2021, at 7 p.m.
Here’s what you need to know:
NASA Says the Space Rock ‘Fragmented Violently’
NASA provided additional details on the meteor, writing:
A solution based on over 100 eyewitness reports does not significantly change the trajectory, but lowers the speed down to 42.000 miles per hour (19 kilometers per second). As the object (which was likely a fragment of an asteroid) penetrated deeper into the atmosphere, pressure built up on its front while a partial vacuum formed behind it,” NASA wrote.
About 30 miles up, the pressure difference between front and back exceeded its structural strength. The space rock fragmented violently, producing a pressure wave that rattled buildings and generated the sound heard by those near the trajectory. Such a pressure wave can also couple into the ground, causing minor “tremors” that can be picked up by seismic instruments in the area; the wave itself can be detected by infrasound (low frequency sound that can travel great distances) stations.
A Burlington airport camera seems to have caught it. Daylight visible.
t.co/URL3ETERA2In the case of last night, we were obtained infrasound measurements from 3 nearby stations – the amplitudes and durations of the signals put the energy of the fireball fragmentation at 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of TNT. We can combine this energy with the speed to get a mass and size of the object – 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) and 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter.
A nice little firework, courtesy of Mother Nature.
The Meteor First Appeared at a Height of 52 Miles Over Mount Mansfield State Forest
NASA Meteor Watch
According to NASA Meteor Watch, the meteor first became visible 52 miles above a state forest.
“Analysis of their reports shows that the meteor occurred over northern Vermont, first appearing at a height of 52 miles (84 kilometers) above Mount Mansfield State Forest,” the site wrote.
“Moving northeast at 47,000 miles per hour (21 kilometers per second), it traversed 33 miles (53 kilometers) through the upper atmosphere before burning up 33 miles (53 kilometers) above Beach Hill in Orleans County south of Newport. We hope to refine the trajectory as more reports and hopefully some videos filter in.”
Many People Heard & felt the Effects of the Meteor
Witnesses reported the effects of the meteor on social media.
“Heard it in Essex, Vt! My son was outside and said, ‘I felt it run up my back and in my stomach. The car rattled under the vibration of the shock wave.’ At 5:42pm,” a woman wrote on Facebook.
Here are some of the other reactions:
“Saw it on I89 around 5:35pm in Lebanon, NH and reported it to the American meteor society. It was very big and bright!”
“Heard it in Johnson, VT! Kids were playing outside and described it as ‘big trucks crashing.'”
“Heard and felt it from in the house midway between Stowe and Morrisville. Had no idea what it was!”
“I heard the rumble in North Cambridge, thought it might be the F35s going over again – which a half dozen, or more did this morning. Didn’t think anything of it, other than it didn’t last long.”
“I saw this at about 5:38pm in Hillsboro NH, traveling Northeast before it burned up. Bright red, and orange, bright white right before it broke into pieces and disappeared.”
“I didn’t get a video, but I definitely saw it in Watertown, MA. It was dusk, so the sky was fading to a deeper blue, and I saw a bright red, orange and yellow streak to the north of me. I thought it must have been something much bigger than a standard ‘shooting star’ to be so visible when not totally dark yet.”
“I heard the rumble and boom in South Burlington, VT. Now we know what it was.”
“That’s what that was! I thought it was the firing range nearby. Heard in West Bolton.”
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