BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) - What was that noise in the sky at about 9 Friday morning? A rocket launch? An explosion? A cutting edge military aircraft? People were asking that question all day on social media and in real life.

Between our proximity in Kern County to Edwards Air Force Base to the east-southeast, China Lake Naval Weapons Station to the east-northeast and Vandenberg Space Force Base to the southwest, Bakersfield ought to be pretty familiar with all manner of aviation phenomenon including sonic booms, the sound associated with shock waves created when an object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound - about 750 miles per hour at sea level.

Despite that, Friday's sonic boom seemed to catch everyone off guard.

So, what was it? Well, first rule out an earthquake. Earthquakes don't typically make sounds like that. Although, curiously, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 4.6-magnitude earthquake in eastern Kern, around Randsburg, earlier Friday morning, and then undeclared it, saying it was a false detection erroneously associated with an actual earthquake in Death Valley.

Could it have been a rocket launch? Nope. A Space-X Falcon 9 rocket caused a sonic boom Saturday around Ventura, but no. Didn't happen Friday.

More likely it was testing in the desert east of Edwards of the X-59 and its 38-foot-long nose. It's designed to fly at speeds of about 925 miles per hour at an altitude of about 55,000 feet. The goal is for the jet to not produce a sharp boom, but rather just a "thump" sound, according to the U.S. Space Force.

So, was it the X-59? No, an Edwards Air Force base spokesman told 17 News. The X-59 won't be ready for testing until December. Most likely it was just a regular, old sonic boom of the semi-mundane type they hear out at Edwards every day.

Not an especially intriguing response for the military aircraft buffs and conspiracy theorists among us, but it'll have to do for now.