NASA confirmed! Meteor blast over New England in USA with the power of 300 tons of TNT
NASA says a meteor travelling at nearly 75,000 mph exploded high above Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Here is ehat has been revealed.
Published By: Divya | Published: May 31, 2026, 02:53 PM (IST) | Edited: May 31, 2026, 03:01 PM (IST)
NASA has confirmed the meteor that exploded over the northeastern United States on Saturday. This has triggered loud booms that were heard across parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and neighbouring areas. Several residents took to social media after hearing the sudden noise, with some claiming the boom was strong enough to shake homes and buildings. The incident also left local authorities trying to determine what had caused the disturbance.
According to NASA, the meteor entered Earth's atmosphere and fragmented at around 2:06 p.m. local time over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire. The agency said the object was travelling at nearly 75,000 miles per hour when it broke apart at an altitude of about 40 miles.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a bright fireball in the sky shortly before hearing the loud boom.
NASA also shared details of the event on X, saying: "#MeteorSighting: Eyewitnesses in New England and @NOAA's GOES-19 satellite reported a bright fireball on Saturday, May 30, at 2:06 p.m EDT accompanied by a loud noise. The meteor appears to have fragmented at an altitude of 40 miles over northeast MA and southeast NH."
Meteor blast with energy equal to 300 tons of TNT
NASA said the breakup released a significant amount of energy. "The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the loud noise," the agency said. That helps explain why the sound was heard across multiple locations in the region and why many residents initially thought it may have been something closer to the ground.
NASA clarified that the object was a natural meteor and not a satellite re-entry or a piece of space debris. "This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower, but it was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite," NASA's deputy news chief Jennifer Dooren said in a statement.
The agency added that the meteor was not linked to any active meteor shower at the time of the event.
Did the meteor hit the ground?
So far, there is no confirmation that the meteor reached the ground. According to the American Meteor Society, the object was estimated to be around three feet wide before it exploded. Program monitor Robert Lunsford said it was larger than a typical fireball but noted that more information would be needed to determine whether any fragments survived the journey through the atmosphere.
Experts believe much of the object likely burned up during the breakup. If any pieces survived, they may have fallen into the ocean rather than a populated area.
For now, NASA's findings appear to have solved the mystery behind the loud booms that startled residents across parts of New England over the weekend.
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