Scientists say a meteor that caused an earthshaking boom across suburban Pittsburgh on New Year’s Day exploded in the atmosphere with an energy blast equivalent to an estimated 30 tons of TNT.
said late Sunday a “reasonable assumption” of the speed of the meteor at about 45,000 mph would allow a “ballpark” estimate of its size as about a yard in diameter with a mass close to half a ton .
If not for the cloudy weather, NASA said, it would have been easily visible in the daytime sky — maybe about 100 times the brightness of the full moon. A nearby infrasound station registered the blast wave from the meteor as it broke apart, enabling the estimates. National Weather Service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan told the Tribune-Review that satellite data recorded a flash over Washington County shortly before 11:30 a.m. Saturday and officials believed it was due to a meteor “falling through the atmosphere.” Hefferan said a similar event occurred Sept. 17 in Hardy County, West Virginia.
Residents in South Hills and other areas reported hearing a loud noise and feeling their homes shaking and rattling. Allegheny County officials said they had confirmed that there was no seismic activity and no thunder and lightning.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
AP PHOTOS: Storm wraps nation's capital in snowy blanket | AP NewsWASHINGTON (AP) — A winter snowstorm blanketed the nation’s capital Monday, closing government offices, snarling travel and grounding the president’s helicopter. Up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) was forecast for the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia and Maryland.
Read more »
Hong Kong news site shuts as pro-Beijing lawmakers sworn in | AP NewsHONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong welcomed a new batch of pro-Beijing lawmakers in its Legislative Council on Monday who were chosen in an election without opposition candidates, as the editors of one of the city’s last remaining pro-democracy news outlets announced its closure.
Read more »
Police struggle to deter rising catalytic converter thefts | AP NewsStates across the country are taking steps to try to deter the thefts of catalytic converters. Thefts of the exhaust emission control devices have jumped over the past two years as prices for the precious metals they contain have skyrocketed.
Read more »
Sudan’s PM announces resignation amid political deadlock | AP NewsCAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation Sunday amid political deadlock and widespread pro-democracy protests following a military coup that derailed the country’s fragile transition to democratic rule.
Read more »
2 missing; survivors count blessings after Colorado fire | AP NewsLOUISVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Search teams looked for two missing people on Sunday in the snow-covered but still smoldering debris from a massive Colorado wildfire , while people who barely escaped the flames sorted through what was left after the blaze and investigators tried to determine its cause.
Read more »
Fauci: CDC mulling COVID test requirement for asymptomatic | AP NewsWASHINGTON (AP) — As the COVID-19 omicron variant surges across the United States, top federal health officials are looking to add a negative test along with its five-day isolation restrictions for asymptomatic Americans who catch the coronavirus, the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday.
Read more »