Meteor (Bolide) Causes Sonic Boom Over Northeastern United State

Why in News?

A loud sonic boom heard across the northeastern United States on May 30 was confirmed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration to have been caused by a meteor. The event was verified using eyewitness reports and imagery from the GOES-19 satellite operated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Key Terms

• Meteoroid: A small rocky or metallic object traveling through space.
• Meteor: The streak of light produced when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up.
• Meteorite: A meteoroid fragment that survives atmospheric entry and reaches the Earth’s surface.
• Bolide: An exceptionally bright meteor that explodes or fragments in the atmosphere, often producing powerful shockwaves and sonic booms.

Meteor Showers

• Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris left behind by a comet or asteroid.
• The May 30 event was not associated with a meteor shower.

Sonic Boom

• A sonic boom is generated when an object travels through the atmosphere faster than the speed of sound.
• Large bolides can create shockwaves strong enough to shake buildings and rattle windows.

Sources: HT & Space.com