On Saturday afternoon, a meteor exploded off the Massachusetts coast, creating a loud noise heard statewide. The event occurred around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time. People reported a sudden boom that rattled windows, startled pets, and in some cases, shook homes.
WBZ-TV received numerous phone calls from residents in Boston and as far as Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island. These individuals reported hearing the loud explosion. According to preliminary data from the American Meteor Society, dozens of witnesses across the Northeast observed the fireball.
The sightings spanned several states, aiding scientists in tracking the meteor’s atmospheric path. Satellite lightning data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) detected a pattern consistent with a meteor. This data suggested that the meteor entered the atmosphere near the South Shore, close to Boston. However, where the meteor ultimately landed remains unreported.
Meteors typically burn up in the atmosphere, but larger ones can survive long enough, creating fireballs and shock waves that attract attention.
NOAA’s maps show the meteor’s atmospheric entry point.
Understanding the Meteor’s Sonic Boom
If you heard the loud noise on Saturday, you might wonder how a meteor could be so noisy. Meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, ranging between 25,000 and 160,000 miles per hour. Most meteors are tiny, like pebbles or sand grains, and incinerate harmlessly in the upper atmosphere.
Sometimes, larger meteors penetrate deeper, producing shock waves like a supersonic jet. These pressure waves can reach the ground, causing a sonic boom that can be audible even miles from the meteor’s path. This explains why some people heard the explosion without seeing the meteor.
Recent Meteor Activity in 2026
The Massachusetts event is part of a series of significant meteor occurrences in North America this year. In March, a meteor explosion over Ohio generated a sonic boom heard across several states. A few days later, another fireball over Texas created a strong shock wave, scattering meteorites around Houston, including one that reportedly damaged a home.
The American Meteor Society reported an unusual rise in large fireballs and sonic booms in early 2026. The Massachusetts boom occurred a day after a mysterious explosion in South Carolina, initially mistaken for an earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey later confirmed it to be a sonic boom of unknown origin.
Researchers emphasize that these events do not pose an Earth impact threat.