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Meteor Booms & Skyquakes — Fireball Airbursts, Shockwaves, and Loud Booms From the Sky
When meteors hit the atmosphere at supersonic speed, they can produce meteor booms — powerful airburst shockwaves that shake windows and set off car alarms. Famous examples include the Chelyabinsk meteor (2013), which injured more than a thousand people via shockwave-blown glass, and the Tunguska event (1908), which flattened vast Siberian forest.
But not all sky booms come with visible fireballs: many skyquakes are heard on clear days with no meteor in sight. If you just heard a loud boom in the sky with no obvious source, this page helps you triage the most likely causes — from real meteor airbursts to look-alikes like rockets, jets, and sound ducting.
Looking for real-world reports? Visit the Mystery Booms & Rumblings Hub to browse event lists by year.
Jump to: What Are Meteor Booms? · How They Sound & Feel · Causes & Mechanics · Famous Reports · How to Investigate Locally · FAQs · Sources · Case Files · Get Involved
Key facts (TL;DR)
- Meteor booms are shockwaves from fast meteors (bolides) that can rattle windows and trigger reports over wide areas.
- Skyquakes are boom events with no obvious visual — some are meteors missed by cameras; others have atmospheric, seismic, or unknown causes.
- Tell-tale meteor signs: bright flash, fragmentation, contrail/smoke train, rolling multi-second boom (often in “triple” pulses).
- What to do: note exact time & location, look for a flash/smoke train, record audio/video, check fireball reports and local seismic/flight logs, then send us a report.
❓ What Are Meteor Booms?
A bolide (a bright, exploding meteor) compresses air violently, creating an airburst that propagates as a shockwave. The boom often arrives seconds after the flash, followed by a rolling rumble. Energy release ranges from small window-rattlers to rare, multi-megaton-class blasts.
🔊 How They Sound & Feel
- One to three sharp bangs followed by a low, rolling rumble.
- Pressure wave that buzzes through walls; windows chatter.
- Reports of a flash, smoke trail, or fragmenting “sparkles” overhead.
- Occasional “triple boom” pattern as the shock reflects across layers.
🧠 Causes & Mechanics
- Meteor airbursts: fragmentation and rapid deceleration generate shockwaves (classic flash + boom).
- Re-entries: space junk or rocket stages can also create booms and fireball-like trails.
- Atmospheric ducting: temperature inversions bend sound, so distant events arrive as local booms.
- Look-alikes: sonic booms from jets/rockets, shallow quakes/frost quakes, industrial blasts.
Why some “sky booms” show no fireball: daytime glare, cloud cover, distance/geometry, or simply no one filming the right patch of sky.
Quick rule-outs: no flash, but a pressure-wave “thump” near fault zones? Check Earthquake Booms & Seneca Guns. Near industry/quarries or training ranges? Check Industrial / Mystery Blasts.
🌍 Famous Meteor Booms & Skyquake Reports
- ☄️ Chelyabinsk Meteor (Russia, 2013) — shockwave shattered glass across the region.
- 💥 Tunguska Event (Siberia, 1908) — leveled forest over a vast area; no impact crater found.
- 🌊 Portland meteor explosion (USA, 1939) — smoke burst and flame reported.
- 🌍 Global sky booms: from Italy to India, skyquakes are reported without confirmed fireballs.
🕵️ How to Investigate Locally
- Time stamp: exact hh:mm:ss (local).
- Scan the sky: flash, smoke trail, fragmentation “sparkles.”
- Record it: doorbell/dash cams and phones capture rumbles and shockwaves.
- Check logs: regional fireball networks, flight/rocket activity, local seismic records.
- Share details: direction seen/heard, duration, and any damage (broken glass).
Related primer: Weird noises & meteorite falls
Meteor Booms & Skyquakes — FAQs
- What causes meteor booms?
- Supersonic meteors compress the air until the body fragments or rapidly decelerates, producing an airburst shockwave. The boom trails the flash by seconds, then fades into a rolling rumble.
- Why do sky booms happen with no visible meteor?
- Daylight glare or clouds can hide the fireball; the boom can also be from jets, rockets, or distant blasts carried by inversions. Some remain unexplained.
- Are meteor booms dangerous?
- They can be. Large airbursts (e.g., Chelyabinsk, 2013) blew out windows and injured people with glass shards. Most events, however, are startling but not damaging.
- How can I tell it wasn’t thunder?
- Thunder usually follows visible lightning and storm clouds. Meteor booms often come with a bright flash or contrail, and the sound profile can include distinct bang(s) plus a long, smooth rumble.
Sources & Further Reading
- NASA — Meteors & fireballs
- USGS — Seismic signals & infrasound
- NOAA — Weather, inversions & sound propagation
Case Files
Want the full timeline of reports? Visit the Mystery Booms & Rumblings Hub to browse event lists by year.
- 🧭 Chelyabinsk vs Tunguska — videos & analysis
- 🧭 Tunguska event overview
- 🧭 Weird noises associated with meteorite falls
- 🧭 Portland meteor explosion (1939)
Get Involved
- 📩 Report a meteor boom / skyquake (time, location, weather, recording).
- 📰 Subscribe to the Strange Sounds newsletter
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