The Sept. 23 event prompted hundreds of reports to the national fireball log, and a flood of footage immediately circulated online, highlighting widespread public fascination.
Experts told the Salem Statesman Journal the fireball was a meteor, likely composed of ice, metal and stone, showcasing the complexities of fireball phenomena.
Jim Todd explained, 'Fireballs are caused by space rocks that enter the Earth's atmosphere and are slowed down and heated by friction, disintegrating dramatically.'
With a speed estimated at around 50,000 miles per hour, the fireball disintegrated about 34 miles above Bohemia Mountain, emphasizing the incredible dynamics at play.
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