A meteor entering Earth's atmosphere caused a loud boom heard across New England on Saturday afternoon, according to multiple reports and official sources. The event, which occurred around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time, rattled windows, startled pets, and shook homes in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and beyond.
Core Facts and Immediate Action
The American Meteor Society (AMS) confirmed the boom was caused by a meteor approximately 3 feet wide entering the atmosphere near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. Satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed a signature consistent with a meteor around the same time the boom was reported. The meteor likely entered the atmosphere over the South Shore near Boston, but there are no reports of it landing on land. Most meteors burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, but larger objects can create powerful shock waves heard as sonic booms.
Deeper Dive and Context
Residents from Delaware to Montreal reported hearing the double boom, feeling the ground shake, or seeing the fireball. The AMS received dozens of reports, with sightings stretching across multiple states. Videos posted on social media captured what sounded like two quick booms, with no fire, smoke, or other visual causes. The National Weather Service in Boston and the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed there were no earthquakes or other natural events that could have caused the sound.
Officials from police and fire departments across the region asked residents to refrain from calling emergency services, as they were aware of the incident. NASA has not yet verified the meteor theory, but the AMS and other experts believe the evidence strongly supports this conclusion. The meteor's trajectory and speed are still being analyzed to determine if any fragments may have reached the ground.
Public Reactions and Unanswered Questions
Many residents described the sound as unlike anything they had heard before. Some initially thought it was an explosion or earthquake, but the lack of visual evidence and the meteor's known behavior led experts to rule out other causes. The event has sparked interest in meteor science, with experts noting that such occurrences are rare but not unprecedented.
The meteor's exact path and any potential impact sites remain unknown. If fragments did reach the ground, they would likely be found in the ocean, as most meteors burn up before landing. The event serves as a reminder of the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable nature of space objects entering Earth's atmosphere.