NASA reports that the meteor was first observed at an altitude of about 75 km above the town of Forest Hill, Maryland on September 3rd.
The meteor on September 3rd as seen from Maryland, USA.
The meteor was traveling rapidly northwest at a speed of 58,000 km/h and disintegrated at an altitude of approximately 35 km above the town of Gnatstown, Pennsylvania. It shone as brightly as a crescent moon and traveled through the atmosphere for about 90 km, according to NASA.
By studying its trajectory, scientists determined that this meteor was a small fragment of an asteroid, possibly originating from the Asteroid Belt located between Mars and Jupiter. Based on video evidence, experts from the American Meteor Society (AMS) believe that the meteor is likely a bolide – a special type of meteor that can explode and create a bright flash at the end, often accompanied by observable debris.
Over 400 people reported seeing the meteor, AMS stated. These observers came from various states including Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia. Many witnesses described the meteor as flying silently, while some reported hearing a booming sound. AMS noted that reports of the meteor help alert them to potentially significant scientific events and contribute to a common knowledge database about meteors.
The meteor in the U.S. appeared just one day after another meteor streaked across the sky in Erzurum, Turkey, delighting observers there. Meteors are not an unusual phenomenon, and NASA has dedicated programs to monitor bright meteors. Thousands of small meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere each year, but most pass over uninhabited areas or fall into the ocean.
(Video: X/Steve Olsen)
