Residents of the northeastern United States experienced a startling event this past Saturday as a massive meteor exploded in the atmosphere, sending powerful shockwaves across the region.
According to NASA, the fireball broke apart over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire at 2:06 pm (1806 GMT). The explosion was so intense that it produced loud booms heard across the area, with many residents reporting on social media that the force was strong enough to shake their homes.
Jennifer Dooren, NASA's deputy news chief, clarified that the object was a natural celestial body. "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," Dooren stated.
The scale of the energy release was significant. NASA experts estimate that the blast was equivalent to approximately 300 tonnes of TNT, which accounts for the loud booms that alarmed the local population.
Data indicates that the meteor was traveling at an incredible speed of more than 120,000 kilometers per hour. It reached a breakup altitude of over 60 kilometers before disintegrating, preventing any direct impact on the ground while still delivering a powerful atmospheric shock.
Reference(s):
Meteor explodes over US with blast equivalent to 300 tonnes of TNT
cgtn.com
