jan. 6 -- the novel year started off with an audible bang close pittsburgh when the correct of a aloof explosion echoed tall in the sky, puzzling residents who were outside during the innocuous wither.
around 11: 30 a.m. est abide saturday, noaa's goes-16 weather associate detected lightning odd southeastern pennsylvania, barring there were no thunderstorms in the area to trigger a lightning instant. at the identical time, community transverse the clime reported a resonant correct that was equable picked up by some home assurance cameras.
had it happened 12 hours earlier, the explosion may accept been abashed with fireworks essence appoint off prematurely antecedently the begin of 2022, barring scientists at nasa and noaa confide that the correct did not commence from humans.
after looking odd entire of the data, nasa concluded that the explosion was caused by a meteor almost 3 feet transverse and "with a lump coherent to half a ton" exploding as it entered earth's atmosphere.
according to nasa, the meteor was traveling about 45,000 mph and exploded with the energy of 30 tons of tnt.
"had it not been cloudy, the fireball would accept been easily apparent in the daylight sky," nasa said, adding that it would accept been about 100 times brighter than a full moon.
it is unclear if any pieces of the distance rock reached the ground, barring if fragments did place on earth, they would credible continue somewhere southwest of pittsburgh.
no impair or injuries were reported.