Do meteors or fireballs make weird noises when disintegrating through the atmosphere?
Loud bangs, mysterious rumblings and strange sounds from the sky have always been associated with meteors and meteorite falls. Here a list of reports across history.
During a witnessed fall, a meteorite presents an incredible show.
Sometimes falls are also accompanied by weird sounds such as whistling, popping, booming, rumbling, humming, and roar.
These sounds result from the meteor’s high velocity which may attain the ‘sonic boom’ velocity with its associated ground shaking or windows rattling.
The video below features sounds made by the Perseid meteors and captured by U.S. Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas:
Below you will find a compilation of sounds reported by witnesses of meteorite falls. The letters and numbers in brackets define the meteorite that has been found on Earth after its parent meteor or fireball exploded in the sky:
Adzhi-Bogdo (LL3-6). “crackling sounds like gunshots”
Allegan (H5). “A cannon-like explosion followed by a hissing sound similar to that of an engine blowing off steam.”
Cabin Creek (IIIA). “An unusually loud whizzing metal sound.”
Crumlin (L5). “…a noise like thunder or the rolling of drums…”
Felix (CO3). “…a loud thunder like rumbling noise.”
Hatford (1628). “…a hizzing noise like flying of bullets…”
Honolulu (L5). “…Firing cannons …”
Holbrook (L6). “Distant thunder, cannon booming… Rumbling of a rapidly driven farm wagon on a rough road”
Karakol (LL6). “Whistle.”
Magombedze (H6). “Three loud detonation sounds and ‘an approaching aeroplane-like noise…”
Mooresfort (H5). “Sounds like thunder.”
Noblesville (H4). “Whirring sound, low pitched whistle”
Rowton (IIIA). “…a hissing and then a rumbling noise.”
St. Robert (H5). “electrophonic sounds”
Campos Sales (L4). “…a loud buzzing noise, a sonic boom, and a sound of bullets”
Juancheng (H5). “roaring sound during 2 to 3 minutes, …”
Ashdon (L6). “a loud “sissing” noise as if an aeroplane was overhead.”
Baldwyn (L6). “…humming noise”
Binningup (H5). “…whistling noise”
Middlesbrough (L6). “…whizzing or rushing noise …”
Peckelsheim (DIO). “…a whining noise”
Quesa (IRANOM). “approaching storm noise”
Rampurhat (LL). “…a roaring noise”
Ruhobobo (L6). “…jet aeroplane noise”
Sharps (H3). “…a whirring noise”
Trebbin (LL6). “loud hissing noise, …”
Warrenton (CO3). “…a whistling noise”
Wold Cottage (L6). “…heard various noises like pistols, or distant guns at sea, and a hissing noise passing through the air…”
Reading the different descriptions you will also probably come to the conclusion that some of the Strange Sounds from the Sky heard on Earth may be related to meteorite falls (rumbling, metalic sounds, loud booms, thunder-like noise, roaring noise, aeroplane sound).
Her some sounds recorded from different places in Space.
The following loud noises were created by meteors, fireballs or meteorites.
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