Early-Morning Explosion in Sky Over Newburgh Caught on Ring

Newburgh residents are trying to figure out exactly what exploded overhead at 1:41 AM on Tuesday.

Kim Pappalardo was baffled when she reviewed her Ring camera footage after waking up on Tuesday. The Newburg woman discovered an out-of-this-world explosion directly over her apartment complex.

After downloading the footage, Pappalardo provided us with two different angles of what appears to be a huge explosion of light followed by a streak that continues to fall downward in the vicinity of Stewart International Airport. The event only lasted for a second.

If you look closely at the footage below, you can see the burst of light as something falls out of the sky. Another smaller object can also be seen falling next to it behind the trees.

Theories About the Explosion Over Newburgh, New York

Because the flash appeared directly over Stewart International Airport, some have speculated that it could have something to do with the Air National Guard base that is located at the airport. Others claim that it looks like a streak of lightning. Pappalardo has her own theory, saying, "I thought it was a shooting star but it looks like it goes up, not down."

Of course, there are also conspiracy theorists who believe the flash could be the work of extra-terrestrials. Whatever it is, Pappalardo is hoping that someone out there can figure out this mystery.

Most Likely Source of the Falling Object Caught on Camera in Newburgh

According to EarthSky, the Geminid meteor shower is expected to hit its peak on December 14, which is still over a week away. However, even though it's not as active yet, the shower technically began on November 19. The Geminids are known to produce very bright, white meteor trails like the one seen over Newburgh.

The bold, white, bright Geminids give us one of the Northern Hemisphere’s best showers, especially in years when there’s no moon... The meteors are plentiful, rivaling the August Perseids.

Stargazers who missed out on the huge Newburgh meteor should plan to watch the skies through next week. During its peak on December 14, the Geninids could produce up to 120 visible meteors per hour under the right conditions.

You'll probably want to make sure your doorbell camera's battery is charged.