NASA Identifies Cape Cod Meteor as Dense Iron Composition

WHO:

Yahoo - NASA is the organization providing analysis on the meteor.

The Boston Globe - Molly Wasser is identified as a representative from NASA’s Planetary Science Division.

The Boston Globe - Randy Bucciarelli is a GIS programmer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

WHAT:

Yahoo - A meteor that crashed and landed in Cape Cod Bay was identified as being five feet wide.

Yahoo - The meteor had a steep entry angle at an altitude of 31 miles above ground.

Yahoo - The meteor was on radar for approximately 2 minutes.

Yahoo - The density of the meteor was calculated at 8000 kg/m3, consistent with an iron meteorite.

The Boston Globe - The meteor was estimated to weigh roughly 5.6 metric tons and traveled at a speed of about 42,000 miles per hour.

The Boston Globe - The meteor released energy equivalent to about 230 tons of TNT.

The Boston Globe - The meteor produced relatively few pieces as it broke apart, with fragments estimated to weigh hundreds of grams to several kilograms.

WHERE:

Yahoo - The meteor landed in Cape Cod Bay.

The Boston Globe - The meteor streaked across New England.

WHEN:

Yahoo - The meteor crashed and landed on a Saturday.

The Boston Globe - The meteor streaked across New England shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday.

WHY:

The Boston Globe - NASA suggested that the meteor likely entered the atmosphere at a steep entry angle as opposed to a more typical trajectory.

The Boston Globe - NASA stated that the density calculation remains experimental and additional analysis is needed.

HOW:

Yahoo - NASA used radar observations to analyze the meteor's entry and break apart.

The Boston Globe - The buoy in Cape Cod Bay did not detect any unusual wave activity around the time of the event, indicating no significant ocean disturbances.

(UPDATED June 4, 2026 11:53 UTC)

A five-foot-wide meteor crashed into Cape Cod Bay, weighing approximately 5.6 metric tons and traveling at a staggering speed of about 42,000 miles per hour, releasing energy equivalent to around 230 tons of TNT. NASA, represented by Molly Wasser from the Planetary Science Division, analyzed the event using radar observations and noted that the meteor had a steep entry angle, which is less common. Interestingly, the buoy in Cape Cod Bay did not record any unusual wave activity during the incident, suggesting there were no significant disturbances in the ocean at that time.