NASA has confirmed that meteorites fell in Washington County in late February, near Codyville Plantation. NASA described the incident as a “low-mass meteorite fall.”
There were various reports of a sonic boom just after 8 pm on February 21, NASA said.
Witnesses even saw a large green flash in the sky across the area. In fact, several radar signatures were picked up from a radar out of Houlton. NASA said on its website that the site of the fall is “heavily forested” and that “it may be challenging to locate meteorites.”
NASA’s statement on the Washington County meteorites
“Eyewitness reports include relatively widespread sonic boom reports. The fireball appears to be moving at a higher rate of speed than most that produce meteorite falls, although this may be an artifact of viewing angle,” NASA said.
It added, “Independent analysis of seismometer data by a third party gives a sonic boom location near the radar signatures and somewhat out of agreement with the AMS projected ground track, which is further to the northwest. Radar signatures are noted from the KCBW NEXRAD radar in Houlton, Maine. The first radar signature appears in the KCBW 0102 UTC data set in the 5.1 degree elevation sweep. This signature is accompanied by a Doppler signature consistent with short-range turbulence. Two more radar signatures appear in the 0109 UTC data set, in the 0.88 and 1.32 degree elevation sweeps.”
NASA added that the nearest town that is shown on maps is Codyville ME. It has a population in the latest census of 13.
A meteorite is a solid piece of rock that falls from space to Earth, and can range in size from a pebble to a boulder. NASA says, “When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite.”
