Residents across eastern Massachusetts experienced a startling event on Saturday afternoon when a loud boom echoed through the region. Meteorologists and experts have confirmed that the noise was caused by a meteor entering the Earth’s atmosphere, creating a sonic boom as it passed over the New Hampshire border near Massachusetts.

Meteor Causes Stir in Local Communities

The American Meteor Society reported that the meteor, approximately three feet wide, entered the atmosphere at around 2:30 p.m. The event was widely reported by residents from Delaware to Montreal, who either heard the double boom, felt the ground shake, or saw the fireball streak across the sky. Robert Lunsford of the society noted that the meteor was larger than typical fireballs, but it likely did not strike the ground, possibly burning up or landing in the ocean.

NASA confirmed the presence of a fireball over New England at 2:06 p.m., traveling at an estimated speed of 75,000 mph and fragmenting at an altitude of 40 miles. The energy released was equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, explaining the loud booms heard across the region.

Public Safety Response

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security addressed the incident on social media, assuring the public that there were no known emergency situations related to the boom. Local police and fire departments received numerous calls from concerned residents, but no damage or injuries were reported. In Wrentham, Police Chief Bill McGrath confirmed that the explosion was likely due to the meteor, with no reports of damage in the area.

Dr. John Ebel from Boston College’s Weston Observatory explained that the meteor was not visible due to cloud cover, but under clear skies, it would have been a visible streak of light. The event, while alarming, was a natural occurrence and part of the Earth’s ongoing interactions with space objects.

Original reporting: Richardson, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.