On Saturday afternoon, a high-speed meteor impacted Massachusetts, causing a significant ground shaking and a powerful shockwave that was felt across the state.
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According to NASA, the bright meteor fireball streaked over Massachusetts at a staggering speed of 75,000 mph at precisely 2:06 p.m., unleashing energy equivalent to around 300 tons of TNT as it disintegrated.
NASA indicated that the debris was first detected at an altitude of 40 miles over northeastern Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire, as stated in their public report.
NASA also confirmed that the fireball event was unrelated to any ongoing meteor shower, clarifying it as “a natural object” rather than the re-entry of space debris or satellite material.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported that public safety officials received numerous accounts of “thuds” and ground vibrations in the eastern region. However, they confirmed there were no emergency calls to police or fire services regarding the incident.
According to the United States Geological Survey, this event was identified as a “widely felt sonic boom from a suspected fireball.”
The research report clarified, “In contrast to earthquakes, which are localized events, sonic boom phenomena traverse a straight path through the atmosphere.”
The USGS determined there were no seismic activities or related disturbances affecting the ground during this event.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
