NASA addresses reports of 'sonic boom,' confirms meteorites fell across Washington County
Meteorite falls are rare celestial occurrences, illuminating the skies and making people curious about the universe's composition. For scientists, whenever a meteoroid survives its passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and lands without disappearing in the air, their first response is to restore it somehow. When residents of Maine witnessed a similar occurrence, curiosity covered the whole of Washington County like a sheet. People were stunned and reported witnessing a glowing green bright sky in late February of 2025, as per WMTV 8. A few days after the incident, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed that two meteorites fell in Washington County.
After a sudden burst in the sky was observed, people, particularly those near Codyville plantation, reported hearing a loud noise late in the evening, according to the outlet. The glowing green sky was captured by the residents’ home security cams, and its scenic visuals were later released by the media publication. At least 20 eyewitness accounts were shared with the space agency, too.
The experts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) studied radar movements recorded on February 21, 2025, and later shared the findings through a statement on their website. The map of the meteorite’s strewn field showed that at least two meteorites struck the surface near Codyville Plantation. The space agency found that the meteorite fall probably occurred over a sizeable area, potentially scattering fragments as small as one gram, reported WMTV.
After radar out of Houlton picked up multiple signatures, NASA’s JSC claimed that the rare celestial event was a “low-mass meteorite fall” in eastern Maine. Furthermore, the experts noted that the fragmented space rocks may well weigh as much as two pounds. However, it would be almost impossible to locate the remains of those meteorites as they landed somewhere in a densely forested area.
The projections, as confirmed by the officials at the space agency, showed the debris from the meteorites might have fallen in different areas. Notably, the largest remains weighing up to two pounds could have struck north of Drake Lake, noted the experts, whereas the remaining tiny fractions could reportedly have fallen near Route 6, about five miles south of Lambert Lake. Most of the eyewitness testimonials about the rare celestial occurrence came from the Codyville Township, located near the Canadian border. The latest census data, as quoted by the JSC, suggested it has a population of 13 people.
Apart from a bright flash turning the skies across Downeast Maine green, the residents also reported having heard a 'sonic boom.' Additionally, WMTV 8 mentioned that the “low-mass meteorite fall” had struck just after 8 p.m., local time. The space agency later confirmed that the fireball entering the Earth’s atmosphere appeared to be traveling faster than typical luminous meteors; however, its speed was subject to the angular interpretation of the projections.
This was the second rare celestial occurrence in Maine over the past two years, reported the outlet. Earlier, several eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a bright fireball over the skies of Washington County in April 2023. The space agency confirmed it as the first radar-observed meteorite fall ever seen in Maine.
