SCIENTISTS believe they have explained the cause of a 'sonic boom' heard across Somerset over the weekend.
The boom was heard across the county, as well as in Dorset and Devon, on Saturday afternoon, prompting speculation over what was behind the noise.
Now, after analysing pictures and videos, experts believe a meteor was to blame - and have urged people to keep an eye out and report any fallen fragments of the space rock.
Simon Proud, a research fellow at the University of Oxford, posted footage captured by a weather satellite of the meteor flying over the UK.
Sometimes weather sats see unexpected things.
— Simon Proud (@simon_sat) March 20, 2021
Do you see the flash in this video? That's a #meteor flying over the UK this afternoon!🌠
Spotted thanks to @willgater's excellent detective work! https://t.co/Ia7f39UJsh
Data: @eumetsat
Processed: @OxfordPhysics / @NCEOscience. pic.twitter.com/I7PSQBnQu5
And it is this object which is believed to have caused the sound.
Footage of what appears to be a meteor over Jersey has been posted on social media, as well as sightings of a disintegrating meteor in north west France.
The timings all coincided with the sound sheard in Somerset.
And there you have it!
— Will Gater (@willgater) March 20, 2021
Actual footage of a daylight #meteor bolide at 14:53UT today from a dashcam in Jersey: https://t.co/GPxQbuCHtH #sonicboom
READ MORE: BIG BANG THEORIES: Mystery over cause of 'sonic boom' heard across Somerset
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