Scientists Trace Cape Cod Superbolide to Jupiter-Region Orbit

A team of international scientists has reconstructed the trajectory of the meteor that entered Earth’s atmosphere over Cape Cod Bay on May 30, 2026. Using a combination of meteor radar, conventional weather radar, satellite data and about 200 atmospheric pressure sensors, they determined that the object was a superbolide roughly 5 feet in diameter and weighing about 12,000 pounds.

The analysis, published in The Astronomical Journal, indicates the meteoroid’s orbit extended to roughly four times Earth’s distance from the Sun, placing its farthest point near Jupiter’s orbit. Its average orbital distance from the Sun was estimated at about 227 million miles, compared with Earth’s 94 million miles.

"The meteor was traveling at nearly 58,000 mph as it entered the atmosphere," the researchers wrote, noting that the speed would allow it to cover the distance between Boston and New York City in under 25 seconds.

NASA calculations estimate the event released energy in the range of 0.5 to 1.1 kilotons, equivalent to 500–1,100 tons of dynamite. The shock wave was detected across New England, producing a sonic boom that was heard in multiple states.

The object’s high density suggests a composition rich in iron, increasing the likelihood that fragments survived the passage through the atmosphere. Models predict surviving pieces could range from a few ounces to about three pounds and may be scattered over a 1.9-by-2.3-mile area near the center of Cape Cod Bay, whose maximum depth is roughly 200 feet.

The researchers caution that such close, high-energy meteoroid events are extremely uncommon.