A dazzling flash and deafening boom witnessed by residents of British Columbia on Tuesday night were caused by a meteor streaking through Earth’s atmosphere, experts confirmed.
Robert Lunsford from the American Meteor Society described the event as a “fireball,” which refers to a meteor larger and brighter than usual. While most meteors are typically small, with sizes akin to a pea, their high speed can make them visible in the night sky.
Lunsford explained that even a softball-sized meteor can produce a brilliant flash comparable to a full moon, categorizing it as a fireball. He noted that the recent meteor, though relatively small, was capable of creating a stunning spectacle in the sky.
Analyzing the characteristics of the flash, Lunsford ruled out the possibility of human-made space debris, confirming the event as a natural fireball composed of stone, metal, or a combination of both.
Meteorologist and science reporter Johanna Wagstaffe supported the meteor theory, citing data from local seismographs and the sonic boom as evidence of a meteor passing through the atmosphere. She highlighted that meteor sightings are rare in western North America, emphasizing the significance of witnessing such cosmic events.
Wagstaffe elaborated on the creation of a sonic boom, explaining that it occurs when an object moves through the upper atmosphere at high speeds, compressing and heating the air ahead of it. While the meteor likely burned up during entry, further analysis by various groups and astronomers will shed light on the specifics.
NASA also confirmed reports of the meteor sighting over the Pacific Northwest, detailing its trajectory and speed. According to NASA, the meteor became visible approximately 98 kilometers above Coquitlam, B.C., traveling at a speed of about 33 kilometers per second before disintegrating at an altitude of 65 kilometers above Greenmantle Mountain in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
The fireball was observed over a wide area, reaching as far west as Comox, east as Merritt, and south as Seattle, Wash. Initial assessments suggest that the fireball resulted from the natural entry of a rocky asteroid fragment, potentially up to 100 centimeters in size, into Earth’s atmosphere.
University of British Columbia astronomy professor Brett Gladman indicated that the meteor likely descended north of Coquitlam, moving from south to north. He explained that the visible meteor glow and audible boom were outcomes of the asteroid fragment heating the atmosphere and surpassing the speed of sound, respectively.
Gladman noted the challenges in locating any surviving fragments due to the meteor’s trajectory over a densely forested, mountainous region north of Coquitlam. The widespread observation of the fireball underscores the community’s shared experience of witnessing a celestial phenomenon.