A small asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere over northern Ohio at approximately 9:00 AM local time on a Tuesday. The entry created a powerful sonic boom that was felt and heard as far away as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and parts of New York state.
However, the meteor was first visible over Lake Erie and was captured on video by National Weather Service (NWS) staff in Pittsburgh. The asteroid was roughly 2 metres in diameter and weighed between 6 and 7 tons. It traveled at approximately 45,000 mph-while fast by human standards, NASA describes this as slow for meteorites.
It moved southeast and fragmented over Valley City, Ohio with potential meteorites landing in Medina County. Residents were surprised by sounds ranging from trees hitting roofs to a lingering-thunder-like rumbling.
In this connection, a Nasa post read: “The fireball-caused by a small asteroid nearly 6 feet in diameter and weighing about 7 tons-moved south-east at 45,000 mph before fragmenting over Valley City.”
While NASA believes fragments reached the ground, the NWS reported that much of the rock likely burned up in the atmosphere. NASA notes that most space rocks smaller than a football field break apart upon entry; roughly 17,000 meteorites fall to Earth every year.
