NASA has confirmed that a flash of light and loud boom reported in the skies near McAllen on Feb. 15 was a meteor.
In a press release, the administration said that based on preliminary information from several sources, experts believe the meteor measured about two feet in diameter and weighed about 1,000 pounds.
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It was traveling at about 27,000 miles per hour and had an energy of 8 tons of TNT, NASA said.
It broke into fragments at an altitude of 21 miles.
“Radar and other data indicate that meteorites did reach the ground from this event,” NASA said.
The American Meteor Society posted a photo of a meteorite in Texas saying it was the third meteorite found within three days. The others were discovered in France and Italy.
Here is the third meteorite fall to be recovered this week! This one in Texas -- Three different meteorites in three days -- Feb 13th France, 14th Italy, 15th Texas.
Posted by The American Meteor Society on Saturday, February 18, 2023
NASA urges anyone who believes they have found a fragment of a meteorite to contact the Smithsonian.
According to NASA, small asteroids enter the atmosphere above the continental United States about once or twice a year and send meteorites to the ground.
“The meteor seen in the skies above McAllen is a reminder of the need for NASA and other organizations to increase our understanding and protection of Earth, to combine scientific and engineering expertise to advance human space exploration, to integrate terrestrial and planetary research for furthering our understanding of the solar system, and to promote successful space missions by mitigating risk,” NASA said in a press release.
Starry skies.. at NWS Goodland during the very early morning on Sunday February 19, 2023. View toward the east. Small swarm of meteors visible low on the horizon at bottom-left (0:00-0:03s). #KSwx #COwx #NEwx pic.twitter.com/PYCVxUQGRx
— NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) February 19, 2023
This article was originally published on KSAT.com.