A meteor likely flew over New York City — flying past the Statue of Liberty and Midtown — before disintegrating on Tuesday, according to NASA and one city official.
The meteor could first be seen at an altitude of 49 miles above Upper Bay before traveling at 34,000 mph, and passed the Statue of Liberty before eventually disintegrating just 29 miles above Midtown, according to a “crude determination” from NASA Meteor Watch.
An official from the city’s emergency management department also confirmed the news.
“NASA has estimated that a meteor entered the atmosphere and disintegrated above the New York City metropolitan area earlier today,” city emergency management spokesperson Aries Dela Cruz posted on X hours later. “Preliminary analysis indicates the meteor passed over the Statue of Liberty before fragmenting high above Midtown Manhattan.”
NASA said it used reports from the American Meteor Society to determine the meteor’s journey. However, it also said that there is no camera or satellite information — and nearby military activity could also explain the loud noises reported by some residents in the area earlier in the day, including one caller to New York Public Radio.
Earlier this month, meteor showers and shooting stars could be seen traveling the skies of New York City.
NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.