Residents across New York and New Jersey reported feeling a shaking or hearing a loud noise shortly after 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Though it’s uncertain if a meteor caused these sensations, many speculated after seeing a fireball in the sky.
NASA estimates the meteor passed through the area between 10 a.m. and noon. The simultaneous military activity might explain the shaking and noise residents experienced.
Reports on social media described tremors and booms, akin to an earthquake or thunder, affecting northern New Jersey, Brooklyn, and Queens. The American Meteor Society received about 20 fireball reports across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, with additional sightings in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
NASA’s preliminary analysis suggests the meteor entered over New York Harbor at 34,000 mph, passed over the Statue of Liberty, and disintegrated 29 miles above midtown Manhattan. No meteorites were produced, and the USGS reported no earthquakes in the area.
Both the Department of Defense and NORAD stated they were not tracking any activity that could explain the reports. NASA continues to investigate and gather information to finalize its analysis.
