A meteor crashing toward Earth exploded over the north-eastern United States on Saturday, Nasa said, setting off booms that echoed over the region with a blast equivalent to 300 tonnes of TNT.
The fireball broke up over north-eastern Massachusetts and south-eastern New Hampshire at 2.06pm (6.06pm GMT), the US space agency’s deputy news chief Jennifer Dooren told AFP in a statement.
“This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower but it was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite,” she said.
“The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tonnes of TNT, which accounts for the loud booms.”
The meteor was traveling at more than 120 000km/h at an altitude of more than 60km when it broke apart, Dooren said.
Area residents were alarmed by the unexpected loud booms, with social media users reporting they were so powerful that houses were shaking.
- A meteor exploded over north-eastern Massachusetts and south-eastern New Hampshire on Saturday, according to NASA.
- The explosion occurred at 2:06 pm local time, releasing energy equivalent to 300 tonnes of TNT.
- NASA confirmed the meteor was a natural object, not linked to any active meteor showers or space debris.
- The meteor was traveling over 120,000 km/h at an altitude exceeding 60 km when it broke apart.
- Residents reported loud booms causing houses to shake, generating widespread alarm and social media activity.
