Residents of New York State heard a loud noise Monday night. According to scientists, it was a burning meteor from space that had entered the Earth's atmosphere over Lake Ontario.
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A fireball in the sky
According to the American Meteor Society, it was indeed a meteor that passed through the sound barrier, causing the loud noise heard by locals. In addition to the noise, the meteor was in flames, leaving a trail of light behind it.
A delay between the flames and the sound
In fact, New Yorkers said they first saw the fireball and then heard the loud noise. This is due to the speed of at which sound travels, which is slower than that of light. It is only visible for a few seconds. In this type of event, there may be a delay of 1-2 minutes between the two, says Mike Hankey, operations manager at the American Meteor Society.
New Yorkers in a panic
Some locals didn't immediately think it was a meteor. One resident said that he first thought that the power station next to his home had exploded, and was already ready to leave with his children and his emergency luggage.
More fear than harm
No casualties or damage were reported. According to the American Meteor Society, about 20,000 such events occur every year around the world.
