Mystery Flash and Big Boom Rattles Virginia

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Mystery Flash and Big Boom Rattles Virginia

SPACE.com Space.com Staff

space.com – Mon Mar 30, 11:00 am ET

A mysterious boom and light occurred over the skies of Norfolk and Virginia

Beach, Va., on Sunday night, but just what caused the phenomenon is still

unknown.

Calls from local residents to 911 began coming in at around 9:45 p.m. EDT, with

some people reporting their doors and windows rattled when the boom went off,

according to reports from WVEC-TV.

Similar reports in the past often have turned out to involve meteors, which can

explode in the atmosphere to create a loud noise and bright flash of light that

streaks across the sky. However, often times the source of events like this are

not determined.

In a recent scientific first, meteorite fragments of an asteroid that was

spotted in space before it exploded over the African desert in October were

recently recovered and examined by scientists.

The jury is still out as to what caused Sunday's event.

Local National Weather Service meteorologists have been in touch with the U.S.

Navy, Air Force and NASA, but have not heard back these sources and don't know

whether they are actively investigating the cause of the boom, said Wakefield

NWS forecaster Jeff Lewitsky.

" The only thing we know for sure at this point is that it wasn't

meteorologically related, " Lewitsky told SPACE.com.

Lewitsky said meteorologists have looked back at their radar and lightning

strike data during the time period and didn't find anything that could explain

the event. He also said they had received no more reports on the incident and no

photos of the light streak have come in.

Officials at Norfolk International Airport had received reports of the light and

explosion, but hadn't observed anything out of the ordinary at the airport,

according to WVEC-TV.

The National Weather Service told WVEC-TV that the reports of the light and the

bang were coming in from land to North Carolina.

The National Weather Service released a statement at 11:17 p.m. Sunday:

" Numerous reports have been called in to this office and into local law

enforcement concerning what appeared to be flashes of light in the sky over the

Suffolk/Virginia Beach area. We are confident in saying that this was not

lightning ... and have been in contact with military and other government

agencies to determine the cause. So far ... we have not seen or heard of any

damage from this and will continue to inquire as to the cause. "