Massachusetts.- A meteor that produced a loud boom and shaking across parts of New England on Saturday afternoon released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, according to estimates confirmed by NASA.
The event occurred shortly after 2:06 p.m. on May 30, 2026, when a bright fireball was detected over the region. Satellite data showed no thunderstorm activity at the time, indicating the signal was not weather-related.
According to estimates from NASA Space Alerts, the meteor fragmented at an altitude of roughly 40 miles over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire. The agency described the event as an airburst, meaning the object broke apart and released energy in the atmosphere rather than striking the ground.
NASA said the energy released at breakup was approximately equivalent to 300 tons of TNT. The figure represents an energy estimate, not a physical explosive device, and is used to describe the intensity of the atmospheric event.
In comparison, the largest known conventional non-nuclear bomb, the MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast), is estimated at roughly 11 tons of TNT equivalent. The meteor’s airburst energy was therefore on the order of about 20 times greater than that device.
Despite the comparison, the event differed significantly from a ground-level explosion. Because it occurred high in the atmosphere, the energy was dispersed over a wide area, producing a bright flash and a sonic boom rather than localized structural damage.
The fireball was also detected by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES-19 satellite, which recorded an anomalous flash signature consistent with a bolide, a meteor that explodes mid-air.
Spaceflight meteorologist Nick Stewart said satellite data showed a large flash that did not correlate with any thunderstorm activity and was consistent with a meteor reentry event east of Boston.
Eyewitness reports of the fireball and accompanying boom were compiled by the American Meteor Society. No injuries or damage have been reported based on available information.
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