NASA Confirms Sonic Boom Over Boston Caused by Exploding Meteor
A meteor exploded over northeastern U.S. on Saturday, generating a sonic boom heard across several states. NASA confirmed the event and provided details about the meteor's trajectory and fragmentation.
A meteor exploded over northeastern United States on Saturday at approximately 2:06 pm ET, generating a powerful sonic boom that startled residents and was felt across several states. The explosion, which occurred north of Cape Cod Bay, was captured on video and visible in satellite imagery.
Initial reactions among locals suggested an earthquake, but the United States Geological Survey (USGS) clarified that it was instead a "widely felt sonic boom from a suspected bolide." NASA characterized the incident as a "bright fireball... accompanied by a loud noise," noting that the meteor was traveling at around 75,000 miles per hour when it fragmented at an altitude of about 40 miles over northeast Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire. The energy released at the time of breakup was estimated to be equivalent to 300 tons of TNT.
NASA's deputy news chief, Jennifer Dooren, emphasized that this fireball was not linked to any active meteor shower, confirming it was a natural object and not space debris or a satellite re-entry.