Residents across parts of New England in the United States were left shocked after hearing loud becoming sounds and feeling vibration on Saturday. Many people initially thought it was an earthquake, a falling tree or even something more unusual. However, NASA later confirmed that the disturbance was caused by a meteor exploding high above the northeastern United States.

Mystery Booms Shock New England

According to NASA, the space rock was about 5 feet (1.6 metres) wide and weighed around 5.6 metric tons roughly the weight of an elephant. It entered Earth's atmosphere at an incredible speed of nearly 42,000 mph (67,600 kph). As it raced through the sky, it travelled about 26 miles (42 kilometres) before breaking apart at an altitude of around 31 miles (50 kilometres).

About Meteor Explosion

The explosion released energy equal to about 230 tons of TNT (high explosive trinitrotoluene), creating powerful sonic booms that were heard across parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. As the sound was so strong, many residents believed an earthquake had occurred, while others thought a large tree had crashed nearby.

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“@NASA can confirm a fireball over New England at 2:06 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The meteor was about 5 feet (1.6 meters) in diameter with a mass of 5.6 metric tons and entered Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 42,000 mph. The meteor traveled through the atmosphere from northwest to southeast for 26 miles before breaking up at an altitude of 31 miles and producing a meteorite fall into Cape Cod Bay. Based on the latest data, the energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 230 tons of TNT, which accounts for the sonic boom,’’ NASA wrote on X.

According to reports, some people said their dogs became unusually restless moments before the boom. A few residents even joked that the strange noise could have been caused by aliens. The incident generated numerous reports to the US Geological Survey, with residents describing shaking and loud noises. However, the space agency on Monday confirmed that fragments of the meteor eventually fell into Cape Cod Bay off southeastern Massachusetts.

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