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Locals reported hearing thunder-like booms and rattling just after 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, July 16.
The USGS ruled out earthquakes, and residents across the tri-state reported witnessing fireballs to the American Meteor Society.
After hours of anticipating, NASA confirmed a "daylight fireball" over New York City at 11:17 a.m.
Reports filed on the American Meteor Society website permitted "a very crude determination of the trajectory of the meteor," NASA said around 4:30 p.m.
"Based on this data, we estimate that the fireball was first sighted at an altitude of 49 miles above Upper Bay (east of Greenville Yard). Moving a bit east of North at 34,000 miles per hour, the meteor descended at a steep angle of just 18 degrees from vertical, passing over the Statue of Liberty before disintegrating 29 miles above midtown Manhattan."
Speculations had swirled that the booms had been caused by an earthquake. Or possibly munition activity at an Ocean County National Guard facility.
Then there were residents who supposed it was a fireball was right. And they would be correct.
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