![Meteor illustration](https://offloadmedia.feverup.com/secretnyc.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/17053229/Meteor-1024x683.jpg)
If you were among those who heard a loud boom between 10am and noon on Tuesday, July 16th, no it wasn’t an alien invasion (though we’re only two hours away from the UFO capital of the East Coast), but what NASA’s claimed to be a “fireball” or meteor passing over NYC.
What was the trajectory of the meteor?
According to the NASA Meteor Watch on Facebook, the knowledge of the meteor’s trajectory is very rudimentary due to no currently available camera or satellite data. But with the help of eye witnesses and the American Meteor Society, they’ve been able to come to an understanding.
NASA originally estimated “that the fireball was first sighted at an altitude of 49 miles above Upper Bay (east of Greenville Yard).” From there, they believed the meteor passed over the Statue of Liberty after moving a little east of North and descending at 18 degrees from vertical, where it finally disintegrated 29 miles above Midtown, Manhattan. With additional data coming in, NASA since believes that the meteor originated in New York City and moved west over Jersey.
![Trajectory of meteor from NYC to Jersey](https://offloadmedia.feverup.com/secretnyc.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/17051357/451487301_881507877348450_4030680436310988090_n-e1721207692458.jpg)
How fast was the meteor moving?
From the data collected, the meteor was moving at an update speed of 38,000 miles per hour.
What’s the difference between a meteor, meteoroid, and an asteroid?
An asteroid can range from 1m to hundreds of km in size and is made up of either rocky, icy, or iron debris. A meteoroid is just a small asteroid, varying from microns to 1m in size. Finally, a meteor is referring to the light emitted off of a meteoroid or asteroid as it soars into the atmosphere.
What about the difference between a meteor and a fireball?
A fireball is a meteor, it’s just one that is brighter than the planet Venus.
Was NASA following this fireball in space?
In the NASA Meteor Watch’s post to Facebook, NASA clarified that though they do monitor asteroids, fireballs of this size (~1 foot in diameter) are too small to observe from Earth and won’t last long enough to hit the ground. The only time their presence is known is when they break through the atmosphere and create a meteor or fireball. Moreover, they made a point to note that the Department of Defense is the agency responsible for keeping tabs on orbital debris and satellites.