Mysterious Lights and Booms Startle West Michigan Residents
Late Thursday night, residents of Kent and Ottawa counties in West Michigan were awoken by a stunning phenomenon that lit up the skies and shook the ground. The mysterious sight was accompanied by a loud boom that lasted over a minute, leaving hundreds of people in shock and confusion.
As news of the event spread, social media platforms were flooded with posts from residents describing their experiences. Katie Schumaker from Kentwood shared that she heard a “really loud, deep rumbling outside that lasted a long time” while watching TV inside her home. Multiple others reported similar rolling thunder-like sounds that seemed to come from outside, occurring around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Angelica Ward, another resident of Kentwood, described the noise as similar to a train going over train tracks or a plane flying overhead. “It was just insanity. Like, I’m surprised the kids didn’t wake up. That’s how loud it was at my house,” Ward said.
However, it wasn’t just the ground-shaking noise that caught people’s attention. Several witnesses claimed to have seen streaks of light in the sky accompanied by flashes of orange. Kelly Stafford, who lives in Jamestown Township, described how the sky suddenly lit up orange and then saw pops of orange as well.
Video footage captured by Ron Earl in Wyoming showed an object streaking across the sky at the same time the booming noise occurred. This video, along with another captured by Angelica Ward, was widely shared on social media. Many speculated whether this could be related to the annual Perseid meteor shower, which will be visible during the upcoming weekend.
To debunk these speculations, FOX 17 reached out to Robert Lunsford, an expert from the American Meteor Society. Lunsford clarified that the Perseid meteors do not produce any sound as they vaporize before reaching the lower atmosphere, where sound waves can be transmitted. He explained that only meteors made out of stone, such as those coming from asteroids, can create a sonic boom when they break through the atmosphere.
Based on his analysis of the videos, Lunsford did not believe they showed a meteor, nor did he think the accompanying sound was a sonic boom. However, he did encourage residents to take advantage of the upcoming Perseid meteor shower, which promises ideal viewing conditions this weekend. Lunsford recommended viewing the meteors between midnight and dawn, with the best time being around 4 a.m. He advised finding a location away from city lights for the optimal experience.
While the cause of the mysterious lights and booms in West Michigan remains unknown, residents can look forward to the breathtaking display of the Perseid meteor shower this weekend. The shower is expected to produce meteors ranging in color from orange to yellow, and occasionally even exotic shades like purple or blue.
For more information on viewing the Perseid meteor shower, residents can visit the American Meteor Society’s website.