Weird noise across NJ: 38,000 mph fireball? Military activity?

There are two possible explanation as to the source of the mystery noise heard by many across New Jersey Tuesday morning.

Many people reported hearing the low rumble of thunder or what sounded like a loud truck hitting a bump around 11:15 a.m. The United States Geological Survey did not report any earthquakes in the northeastern United States and there were no thunderstorms in the area at the time.

NASA said that a fireball, which is a meteor larger and brighter than normal, appeared over New York City around 11:15 a.m. Based on its own observations and those from the American Meteor Society, it moved west over Union County at an estimated speed of 38,000 mph.

The AMS' trajectory took it north of New York City based on the reports of 21 witnesses, according to spokesman Robert Lunsford. He also believes the fireball was the source of the sound.

"When sounds are heard from a fireball, this indicates that some fragments survived down to the lower atmosphere and may have left small remnants of the original fireball on the ground," Lunsford told Townsquare Media in a statement. "Fireballs can occur at any time of the day or night, but only the brightest ones are noticed during the day due to the sun's glare."

NASA said the sounds were likely from "military activity" in the area. The Public Affairs Office of the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst did not report any unusual training with explosives. Its noise calendar indicated Tuesday was a moderate noise day that could include the use of .50 caliber weapons, rocket fire and rotary cannons.

A spokesman for the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, where many training flights over the Atlantic Ocean originate, told us that they would check on flight activity.

ALSO READ: Mystery noise heard around New Jersey on Tuesday morning

"Fast, low, and crazy bright"

Verified reports were made to the AMS from Avalon, Jackson and Little Silver.

"It was fast, low, and crazy bright," the report from Little Silver said.

The Jackson report came from someone who said they were floating on the Lazy River at Six Flags Great Adventure.

"I did listen after for a sonic boom, as I thought it may have been a meteor, but there was other noise in the area so it made it hard to determine. But I thought I did hear a rumble in the background shortly after," read the report.