As was the case with TWA 800, regardless of what it is the explanation is basically not fit for public consumption. The really scary part is that one plausible explanation has this being a botched attack on the U.S. mainland. If that’s what it was this isn’t the only time it will happen. Someone intended for this thing to be seen and I suspect that whoever was supposed to see it know what they saw and the significance of it.
“Someone intended for this thing to be seen ...”
Seems most likely. One guy speculated that it was a secret spy satellite launch. If so, why launch in the daylight in sight of the shore?