The loud noise heard by residents of the U.S. state of Massachusetts on May 30th was determined to be the result of a large meteoroid disintegrating within Earth’s atmosphere.
According to NASA, the celestial body was traveling at speeds exceeding 120,000 km/h before it exploded in the upper atmosphere with an energy output comparable to approximately 300 tons of TNT.
The fireball was moving at a rate of roughly 75,000 miles per hour (120.7 thousand km/h – TASS note) and broke apart at an altitude of 40 miles (64.3 km) above the northeastern part of Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire. The energy released during its disintegration is estimated to be around 300 tons in TNT equivalent, which accounts for the loud boom.
The agency emphasized that this was a naturally occurring celestial object, not space debris or a malfunctioning satellite. Upon entering the atmosphere, the object could not withstand the immense forces and fractured, creating a shockwave that locals mistook for a powerful explosion or earthquake.
Previously, the American Meteor Society had also reported a connection between the mysterious loud noise and a meteor event. Experts estimate that such occurrences are relatively common, but only a few involve such a powerful explosion that can be heard across an entire region.
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