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EarthCam: Flash in Toronto sky
EarthCam cameras captured an extremely bright flash and an object streaking across the Toronto sky on Dec. 2, 2020. (Courtesy of EarthCam)
NEW YORK - A large bang heard over central New York on Wednesday afternoon was likely caused by the sonic boom from a meteor falling to the earth.
The American Meteor Society received nearly 100 reports about a fireball from Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennslyvania, and Virginia as well as Ontario, Canada.
A meteor streaking through the sky caused the loud boom and flash just after noon Eastern time, American Meteor Society's Robert Lunsford told Syracuse.com.
"Loud, far-reaching booms happen when meteors rip through the atmosphere," Lunsford said.
EarthCam cameras in Ontario captured video of the flash as well as an unidentified object moving across the sky.
"A camera mounted to the CN Tower in Toronto caught what was presumably a meteor as it made a fiery, bright entry into the atmosphere," EarthCam Sydney Fader said about the videos. "At the same moment in time, our cameras that face the CN Tower caught this object. We're not sure what it is or whether it is related."
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Loud Sound Rattles Upstate New York
A loud 'boom' rattled part of upstate New York on Wednesday, December 2, with local media saying the sound was 'likely' a sonic boom caused by a meteor. Credit: Lacey Martino via Storyful
While it is uncommon to see a meteor during daylight hours, large enough rocks can make it through Earth's upper atmosphere and be seen by people on the ground.
In April of last year, a meteor was spotted over South Carolina during daytime hours, while a fireball seen over 16 states on the east coast of the U.S. was also allegedly a meteor.