Astro-tourism is a type of travel where people follow the most impressive astronomical occurrences. These types of adventures can take people across the globe. One of the biggest benefits of astro-tourism is that people who might live in more metropolitan areas can immerse themselves in nature. Not everywhere in the world has clear night skies to even see the stars above. But surprisingly, one of the most bustling cities in the world had an astronomical encounter in the middle of the day. This incident brought stargazing to a whole new level. Here is what residents of New York City (NYC) saw in this surprisingly intimate experience with the final frontier.
The Meteor That Descended Towards NYC
On July 16, around 11:15 a.m., New York City residents saw a meteor flying over the city. The daytime meteor made its appearance over the Statue of Liberty, one of the city’s most famous sites. The Statue of Liberty is located in the New York Harbor and served as the backdrop for the meteor. This steeply descending meteor then disintegrated over Midtown Manhattan. While the meteor sighting only lasted less than a minute, it certainly was a unique experience for witnesses.
According to the American Meteor Society, which received the reports about the meteor sighting, there were multiple confirmed sightings of the meteor. Some of those reports were made by people in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.
One person said the meteor looked like it was a mix of green, yellow, and white. The sighting was a rare occurrence since it was during the day. A daytime fireball is what people saw that day and those have to be exceptionally bright to be noticeable.
Reports On The Incident
Around 20 people reported the incident, although other experiences were also reported. Some residents of New York and New Jersey reported that they felt a shake when they saw the meteor. This shaking felt like an earthquake, according to reports. There were even reports of thunder-like sounds from parts of northern New Jersey, Queens, and Brooklyn.
In response to the reports, NASA said the shaking and thunder-like sounds were likely from local military activities. The space agency estimates that the meteor was moving at a rate of 34,000 miles per hour before its descent. Once the meteor passed over the Statue of Liberty, it disintegrated around 29 miles above Midtown Manhattan. To many, that is too close for comfort.
However, the reason that NASA was not concerned about the meteor may surprise some people. They only track meteors that pose a significant danger to the people on Earth. Smaller meteors like what New Yorkers saw are not considered big enough threats. Luckily, no meteorites were produced in this instance. As a result, there were no injuries or damage done to the city.
