The meteor detonated at an altitude of 16 miles (25 kilometers) with the energy of two to three kilotons of TNT, rattling houses, knocking snow off roofs and shaking seismic monitoring stations in the region. The explosion produced twin sonic booms and a sizzling sound over Alaska and northwestern Canada, according to a NASA release.

The meteor vaporized the atmosphere as it streaked across the sky, flashing green and leaving behind a glowing vapor trail and foul odor.

The airplane collected samples of the meteors debris cloud and vapor trail at an altitude of 65,000 feet (19.5 kilometers) with an instrument called the Aerosol Particulate Sampler. The device consists of two small paddles, coated in sticky silicone oil, that trap particles in the stratosphere when exposes to the airstream from their perch on the ER 2s left wingtip.

The paddles were then drawn inside and sealed hermetically. NASA will now ship them to Johnson Space Center for analysis.

Scientists are eager to study the samples in order to learn more about the meteors origin and composition.

The plane, one of two such high-altitude research planes based at Dryden, also carried a black-and-white camera to probe the area for direct signs of any impact by meteorites associated with the explosion. Ideally, scientists could easily pick out any flattened areas of forest or craters in the area in the photographs.