Residents across New England were startled by a mysterious boom that shook buildings on Saturday. The American Meteor Society confirmed that the noise was caused by a meteor approximately three feet wide entering the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, just north of Boston.

Widespread Reports

Reports of the loud explosion came from as far as Delaware to Montreal, with many people hearing the double boom or feeling the ground shake. Some even saw the fireball, which appeared like a shooting star in the daytime sky, according to Robert Lunsford, the Fireball Program Monitor with the American Meteor Society.

Despite the dramatic event, Lunsford noted that it’s unlikely the meteor struck the ground. “We would need more information about the trajectory, speed, and other aspects to know for sure if it hit the ground, but if it didn’t burn up, then it would have landed in the ocean,” he explained. Most meteors burn up before reaching the ground.

Social Media Reactions

People in several states took to social media to share their experiences, describing how buildings shook and posting videos that captured the sound of two quick booms. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security investigated the reports but found no emergency requests related to the boom and stated there is no public safety threat.

WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Eric Fisher explained that satellite data showed a flash of “lightning” near Boston, which was actually the meteor exploding. Spaceflight meteorologist Nick Stewart supported this assessment, noting that the large flash seen on weather tracking software did not correlate with any active thunderstorms, indicating a meteor reentry.

Residents from various areas, including Needham and Melrose, Massachusetts, described the event as much louder than a transformer explosion and unlike an earthquake. The boom was reportedly heard dozens of miles around the Boston area.

Original reporting: 5NEWS / KFSM (Fort Smith) — read the source article.