A meteor that exploded over New England on Saturday afternoon released energy equivalent to roughly 300 tons of TNT, producing a bright fireball and a sonic boom that was reported across parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and surrounding areas.
The event occurred shortly after 2:06 p.m. on May 30, 2026, when a bolide entered the atmosphere and fragmented in an airburst over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire, according to estimates confirmed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The breakup took place at an altitude of approximately 40 miles.
Satellite observations showed a sudden flash consistent with a high-altitude atmospheric event. At the time, no thunderstorm activity was detected in the region, indicating the signal was not weather-related.
NASA estimated the energy released at fragmentation at about 300 tons of TNT. The measurement represents an energy equivalent used to describe atmospheric entry events and does not correspond to any physical explosive device.
As a point of reference, NASA data indicates this estimate is significantly higher than the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), a large conventional non-nuclear explosive estimated at roughly 11 tons of TNT equivalent. However, scientists emphasize that the meteor’s energy was released high in the atmosphere and dispersed over a wide area rather than concentrated at ground level.
Because of the altitude of the breakup, the event produced a bright flash and sonic boom rather than a localized impact or structural damage.
The flash was also detected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES-19 satellite, which recorded a signal consistent with a bolide, a meteor that explodes mid-air.
Spaceflight meteorologist Nick Stewart said satellite data showed a large flash not associated with any thunderstorm activity and consistent with a reentry event east of Boston.
Reports compiled by the American Meteor Society documented widespread sightings of the fireball and accompanying boom. No injuries or damage have been reported.
