Trending Now - Loud Boom From Meteor Explosion Shakes New England and Beyond

WHO:

CNN - The American Meteor Society reported on the meteor event.

CBS News - WBZ-TV chief meteorologist Eric Fisher confirmed the explosion.

WHAT:

CNN - The meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts, causing a loud boom that was heard throughout the state.

ABC News Tech - The American Meteor Society confirmed that the meteor was not associated with any currently active meteor shower.

DW.com - NASA stated that the meteor was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite.

CNN - The American Meteor Society reported that the meteor was about 3 feet wide and entered the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts.

DW.com - NASA stated that the meteor released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT.

ABC News Tech - The meteor was confirmed to be 3 feet wide and entered the atmosphere near the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border.

CBS News - Satellite lightning data from NOAA showed a signature consistent with a meteor at the time of the boom.

DW.com - The meteor released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, according to NASA.

DW.com - The meteor was confirmed to be traveling at 75,000 miles per hour when it broke apart at an altitude of 40 miles.

DW.com - The fireball fragmented over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire at 2:06 p.m.

CNN - The American Meteor Society received reports from people who described the meteor as looking like a "shooting star in the daytime sky."

CNN - Robert Lunsford stated, "Most of them do burn up before they hit the ground," regarding the likelihood of the meteor striking the ground.

DW.com - The meteor released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT.

DW.com - The meteor was traveling at 75,000 miles per hour when it broke apart at an altitude of 40 miles over the area.

DW.com - The fireball fragmented over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire at 2:06 p.m.

CNN - The American Meteor Society received reports of a loud double boom that shook buildings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

CBS News - The boom was heard around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time, with reports of rattled windows and startled pets.

CBS News - Dozens of phone calls came into the WBZ-TV newsroom reporting a loud explosion heard around Boston, as far as Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island.

CBS News - Preliminary reports indicated the fireball was seen around 2 p.m. on the same Saturday.

CBS News - The meteor likely entered the atmosphere over the South Shore near Boston.

CNN - The American Meteor Society received reports from people who described the meteor as looking like a "shooting star in the daytime sky."

CNN - Robert Lunsford stated, "Most of them do burn up before they hit the ground," regarding the likelihood of the meteor striking the ground.

CBS News - The meteor event is part of a series of high-profile fireballs reported across North America in 2026, including a meteor explosion over Ohio in March and another fireball over Texas that scattered meteorites.

CNN - The American Meteor Society received dozens of reports from people across multiple states, including Delaware and Montreal, regarding the double boom and fireball sighting.

ABC News Tech - The meteor was confirmed to be 3 feet wide and entered the atmosphere near the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border.

CBS News - Satellite lightning data from NOAA showed a signature consistent with a meteor at the time of the boom, indicating the meteor likely entered the atmosphere over the South Shore near Boston.

CNN - Fire program monitor Robert Lunsford stated the meteor looked like a "shooting star in the daytime sky."

CNN - Lunsford described the meteor as "definitely bigger than a normal fireball, about a yard wide."

CNN - Several people filed reports with the US Geological Survey, registering the shaking they felt with the National Earthquake Information Center.

ABC News Tech - The American Meteor Society confirmed that the meteor was 3 feet wide.

CBS News - The meteor likely entered the atmosphere over the South Shore near Boston.

CNN - A loud double boom was reported, attributed to a meteor about 3 feet wide entering the atmosphere.

ABC News Tech - The meteor was confirmed to be 3 feet wide.

CBS News - The boom was heard around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time, with reports of rattled windows and startled pets.

CBS News - Dozens of reports were submitted to the American Meteor Society regarding the fireball sighting.

CBS News - Satellite lightning data from NOAA showed a signature consistent with a meteor at the time of the boom.

WHERE:

CNN - The meteor entered the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, north of Boston.

ABC News Tech - The meteor entered the atmosphere near the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border.

CNN - The meteor entered the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, north of Boston.

CBS News - The explosion was heard throughout Massachusetts and as far as Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island.

CBS News - Sightings of the fireball stretched across multiple states, including Delaware and Montreal.

WHEN:

CNN - The event occurred around 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.

CBS News - Preliminary reports indicated the fireball was seen around 2 p.m. on the same Saturday.

WHY:

CBS News - The U.S. Geological Survey determined that a mysterious blast in South Carolina was consistent with a sonic boom, although the exact source remains under investigation.

CBS News - Meteors create sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere at high speeds, generating powerful shock waves.

HOW:

The Verge - The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that the shaking felt by residents was a “widely felt sonic boom from a suspected bolide.”

CBS News - Meteors enter Earth's atmosphere at speeds between 25,000 and 160,000 miles per hour, creating pressure waves that can be heard as sonic booms.

CBS News - The American Meteor Society has documented an unusual increase in large fireball events and sonic booms during the first months of 2026.

CBS News - The American Meteor Society documented an unusual increase in large fireball events and sonic booms during the first months of 2026.

CBS News - Meteors travel at speeds between 25,000 and 160,000 miles per hour, creating pressure waves that can be heard as sonic booms.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 17:15 UTC)

A meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts, creating a loud boom that resonated throughout the state. The American Meteor Society confirmed that this meteor was not linked to any active meteor shower, while NASA clarified that it was a natural object and not space debris. The United States Geological Survey reported that the shaking experienced by residents was due to a widely felt sonic boom from this suspected bolide.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 15:17 UTC)

A meteor approximately 3 feet wide entered the atmosphere near the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border, releasing energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, according to NASA. Satellite lightning data from NOAA confirmed a signature consistent with a meteor at the time of the boom, which was reported by the American Meteor Society. Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey is investigating a mysterious blast in South Carolina that appears to be linked to a sonic boom, although the exact source is still unknown.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 13:18 UTC)

A meteor traveling at an astonishing 75,000 miles per hour broke apart over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire, releasing energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT. Witnesses described the event as a "shooting star in the daytime sky," and while most meteors burn up before reaching the ground, the American Meteor Society noted the excitement surrounding this sighting. Meanwhile, a mysterious blast in South Carolina has been linked to a sonic boom, but investigators are still working to determine its exact source.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 11:23 UTC)

A meteor traveling at an astonishing 75,000 miles per hour broke apart at an altitude of 40 miles, releasing energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT. This dramatic event unfolded as the fireball fragmented over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire at 2:06 p.m. Residents in the area witnessed the spectacular sight in the sky, marking a significant moment in the region.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 08:00 UTC)

A loud double boom that shook buildings across Massachusetts and Rhode Island has been attributed to a meteor entering the atmosphere near Boston, with reports of rattled windows and startled pets coming in around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time. Dozens of calls flooded the WBZ-TV newsroom, with residents from Boston to Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island, describing the loud explosion and even witnessing a fireball around the same time. Meteors typically enter Earth's atmosphere at speeds ranging from 25,000 to 160,000 miles per hour, generating pressure waves that can be heard as sonic booms.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 06:18 UTC)

A remarkable meteor event has captured attention across North America, with the American Meteor Society reporting sightings of a daytime fireball that many described as a "shooting star in the daytime sky." Robert Lunsford noted that while most meteors burn up before reaching the ground, this event is part of a series of high-profile fireballs, including a notable meteor explosion over Ohio in March and another fireball in Texas that scattered meteorites. Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey has linked a mysterious blast in South Carolina to a sonic boom, although the exact source of the sound is still under investigation, coinciding with a documented rise in large fireball events and sonic booms this year.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 04:16 UTC)

A spectacular fireball and double boom were reported by the American Meteor Society from multiple states, including Delaware and Montreal, with the meteor confirmed to be three feet wide as it entered the atmosphere near the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border. Satellite lightning data from NOAA indicated that the meteor likely made its entry over the South Shore near Boston, coinciding with the time of the boom. Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey has identified a mysterious blast in South Carolina as consistent with a sonic boom, although the exact source is still under investigation.

(UPDATED May 31, 2026 01:35 UTC)

A meteor, described by fire program monitor Robert Lunsford as "definitely bigger than a normal fireball, about a yard wide," has been confirmed by the American Meteor Society to be 3 feet wide and likely entered the atmosphere over the South Shore near Boston. Several people reported feeling shaking to the US Geological Survey, which is also investigating a mysterious blast in South Carolina that was consistent with a sonic boom. Interestingly, the American Meteor Society has noted an unusual increase in large fireball events and sonic booms during the first months of 2026.

(UPDATED May 30, 2026 23:14 UTC)

A loud double boom was reported around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time, attributed to a meteor about 3 feet wide entering the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, north of Boston. The explosion was heard throughout Massachusetts and as far as Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island, with dozens of reports submitted to the American Meteor Society regarding the fireball sighting. Meteorologists confirmed that meteors create sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere at high speeds, generating powerful shock waves that can be heard over long distances.