The explosions and the boom sounds heard by the residents of Boston recently could be the result of “a rather significant bolide/meteor entering the atmosphere.”
About Bolide:
A bolide is a type of large, exceptionally bright meteor that often explodes in the upper atmosphere, producing a bright flash of light and occasionally fragmented meteorites reaching the ground.
Bolides are distinguished from regular meteors by their greater brightness and more dramatic visual effects.
Bolides can also produce loud booms.
Bolides are more common than many people realize, with several occurring each year, though most go unnoticed or happen over remote areas.
Studying bolides can provide valuable information about the composition and structure of meteoroids, as well as insights into the processes that occur during atmospheric entry.
What is a Meteor?
A space rock that has not entered the Earth’s atmosphere is usually referred to as a meteoroid or asteroid.
Once in the Earth’s atmosphere, the rock traveling at very high velocities encounters friction from the atmosphere, resulting in a fireball that is then referred to as a meteor.
Meteors that reach the ground are then called meteorites.
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