4 ms·

I can't get over how long it takes for the sonic boom to hit. This video has the meteorite trail on camera for 27 seconds before you hear the boom: http://www.y

• knowaveragejoe 14y ago
  While it's moving at great speed, it's really about distance that determines the gap with sonic booms. Speed of sound is ~340m/s at sea level, so using that value with a gap of 27 seconds we can assume the boom originated ~9.1km away from the camera(thus it took 27 seconds for the sound to reach the camera). The distance is probably wrong given the speed of sound is different depending on the altitude. The speed had more to do with the magnitude of the boom itself.
  • jlgreco 14y ago
    And to be clear, there isn't any one "boom" event with a sonic boom. It is an ongoing event for stationary observers, a pressure front that follows the object and is heard when it passes by you.
    • knowaveragejoe 14y ago
      Very true. That effect is very pronounced with this one in particular. Would have been truly awesome to experience in person, if not for the possible hearing loss.
  • grinnick 14y ago
    Of course, that makes more sense. I was thinking of terms of the pressure front lagging further behind the meteorite in proportion to the length of time that the meteorite is traveling at a speed greater than the speed of sound. Thanks for the explanation.