Meteor confirmed as cause of loud boom in Quebec, Ontario

It's now confirmed: the loud boomand flash oflight many people spottedTuesday evening from Montreal as far west as Ottawawas a meteorentering the earth's atmosphere.

Researchers at the University of Western Ontario saidthe rock from spacepassed overMontreal at around 8 p.m. from north to south.

They were able to confirm the phenomenon by sounds fromshock wavespicked up by acousticground sensors around Montreal and upper New York state.

NASA's Meteor Environment Office had been searching for footage of a meteor captured by its cameras, but cameras wereobscured by thick clouds.

Geologist Richard Herd, a retired curator of the National Meteorite Collection for the federalgovernment, said allindications suggested it was a meteoroid. That's a rock from spacethat passes through the Earth's atmosphere.

"It came in very rapidly...and so that's indicative. There was some ballistic shock from this thing, which is typical even of a small object," Herd said.

Despite the loud noise it generated, researchers say the meteoroid wasprobably no biggerthan a basketball.

So far, no one has reported finding any fragments of it on the ground.

WATCH: Meteorexplained by Chris Hadfield

Loud bang scared residents

NatashaRaynor, who lives inPincourton Montreal's West Island, told CBC'sDaybreakthat she heard the boom Tuesday night while playing outside with her son.

Raynorsaid the flash came from high in the sky, followed by a boom that was louder than thunder.

"I had just brought my son out in the snow ... I saw a big flash, a blue flash,"Raynorsaid.

"I thought that it was a transformer that blew and then I heard the boom ... I didn't realize how scary it was until my son jumped into my arms."

Quebec provincial police said they received several calls about the incident, and had no reports of explosions or fires.