Meteor explodes over United States with power equivalent to 300 tons of TNT

A meteor exploded over the northeastern United States on Saturday, unleashing an energy equivalent to 300 tons of TNT and causing loud booms that startled residents across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Fortunately, no injuries or damage were reported from the event.

The fireball entered Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated at an altitude of over 60 kilometers (approximately 37 miles) at a speed exceeding 120,000 kilometers per hour (about 75,000 mph). NASA confirmed that the object was a natural phenomenon, not re-entering space debris or a satellite.

Residents reported hearing significant noise and feeling vibrations, with social media flooded with accounts of the loud explosions. The American Meteor Society suggested the object was likely a meteor about 0.9 meters (3 feet) wide. Local police departments received numerous calls but quickly ruled out any public safety threats.

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that while many people reported feeling tremors, their seismographs did not detect any seismic activity, ruling out an earthquake. A weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also captured the explosion over the Boston area, supporting the meteor hypothesis.

Experts believe the meteor likely disintegrated entirely in the atmosphere. If any fragments survived, they are presumed to have fallen into the ocean. The event, while startling, served as a powerful reminder of the natural phenomena occurring above Earth.

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This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower, but it was a natural object and not the re-entry of space debris or a satellite.