16 February 2023 , 17:26
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People were stunned to witness a meteorite fall that made "the earth shake" in an event caught on camera.
The fireball was seen crossing the night sky above Mission in southern Texas, US, causing strong vibrations in the neighbourhoods near the border with Mexico.
Authorities have speculated that the object was likely a meteorite, however, its landing location remains unknown.
Several images and videos captured by residents in the region have surfaced on social media platforms, indicating a bright streak in the sky which could possibly be the meteor travelling through the atmosphere.
Other security camera footage captures the moment when the meteorite crashed into the earth, producing a loud boom and shaking the ground.
NASA confirms massive boom was 1,000lbs meteor measuring 2ft crashing to Earth
There is no clarity on the landing location of the meteorite yet (American Meteor Society)The National Weather Service in Brownsville has reported that their Geostationary Lightning Mapper detected a signal at 5.23pm local time (11.23pm UK), despite there being no storms in the area.
According to the agency, the images captured by the mapper indicate a possible meteorite, and the same could show its entry into the atmosphere.
Despite these developments, there is no clarity on the landing location of the meteorite yet.
There have been no reports of damage in the area where the meteorite was seen (American Meteor Society)The Mission Police Department was also made aware of the reports, and they requested air support from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Police Chief Cesar Torres stated that they began receiving calls shortly before 6 pm local time (12 pm UK) and since received hundreds of calls from citizens who reported that they "heard the earth shake".
Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra has stated that federal partners informed him that Houston Air Traffic Control received reports from two aircraft that they had seen a meteorite to the west of McAllen.
The exact location of the impact is still unknown, and there have been no reports of damage in the area.
Alton Police Chief Jonathan Flores confirmed the blast was also felt in his constituency, as the police department received several calls about the incident.
Chief Flores mentioned that the reports have been widespread, and multiple cities have received the same call.
The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed they had no reports of accidents in the area.
Huge fireball after 1,000lb meteorite smashes into Earth as 'loud boom' heard
Police received multiple calls from worried residents on Wednesday (American Meteor Society)A meteorite is a solid piece of debris that originates from outer space and survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere to reach the Earth's surface.
Most meteorites are fragments of asteroids or comets that have collided with each other or broken up due to gravitational forces.
When a meteoroid (a small rocky or metallic body in space) enters the Earth's atmosphere, it is called a meteor or shooting star.
The high speed of the meteoroid causes friction with the air, which generates intense heat and creates a glowing trail of ionised gas called a meteor trail.
Most meteorites are fragments of asteroids or comets that have collided with each other (Facebook)Most meteors burn up completely in the atmosphere, but some survive to reach the Earth's surface and become meteorites.
Meteorites can vary in size from tiny grains to large rocks weighing several tons, and they can be composed of various materials, including stony meteorites made mostly of rock and metal meteorites made mostly of iron and nickel.
If located on the earth, meteorites are studied to reveal information about the history and composition of the solar system, as they contain material that has remained largely unchanged since the formation of the solar system over 4.5 billion years ago.