A meteor exploded off the coast of Boston | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.A meteor exploded off the coast of BostonNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...ScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsSpaceCloseSpacePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All SpaceA meteor exploded off the coast of BostonIt exploded with the force of 300 tons of TNT.It exploded with the force of 300 tons of TNT.by Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienMay 31, 2026, 1:44 PM UTCLinkShareGiftTraveling at 75,000 miles an hour, breaking up 40 miles above the ground. Image: CIRATerrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget.On Saturday, at around 2:06 pm ET, a meteor streaked over the northeastern US and exploded north of Cape Cod Bay. The fireball was caught on camera by several people, shook houses, and can even be seen clearly in satellite imagery, lighting up the sky.Some residents initially thought that the shaking and boom may have been an earthquake, but the United States Geological Survey (USGS) denied that, saying that it was a “widely felt sonic boom from a suspected bolide.” In a statement posted on X, NASA described the event as a “bright fireball… accompanied by a loud noise.”The meteor was traveling at roughly 75,000 miles per hour when, according to NASA, it “appears to have fragmented at an altitude of 40 miles over northeast MA and southeast NH. The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the loud noise.”NASA’s deputy news chief Jennifer Dooren also told AFP in a statement that, “This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower, but it was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceSpaceCloseSpacePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All SpaceMost PopularMost PopularThe SpaceX IPO is great for Elon Musk and terrible for youNvidia, Microsoft, and Arm are all teasing Nvidia’s new N1X laptop processorsAI grifters are creating fake Black people to sell Shein junkHow Ferrari bungled the design of its first EVHow one founder’s bet on ‘the old school web’ is paying offThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in ScienceThe SpaceX IPO is great for Elon Musk and terrible for youSpaceX gets $4 billion contract to build missile-tracking ‘Golden Dome’ satellitesWhat would you be willing to put in your body?Blue Origin explosion is a major setback for NASA’s Moon plans and Amazon’s Starlink competitorRoids were all the rage at the Enhanced GamesHere’s how Google is responding to Fitbit users who don’t like the new Health appThe SpaceX IPO is great for Elon Musk and terrible for youElizabeth LopattoMay 30SpaceX gets $4 billion contract to build missile-tracking ‘Golden Dome’ satellitesEmma RothMay 29What would you be willing to put in your body?Victoria SongMay 29Blue Origin explosion is a major setback for NASA’s Moon plans and Amazon’s Starlink competitorThomas RickerMay 29Roids were all the rage at the Enhanced GamesVictoria SongMay 27Here’s how Google is responding to Fitbit users who don’t like the new Health appStevie BonifieldMay 27Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesMay 30AI grifters are creating fake Black people to sell Shein junkMay 30Welcome to Night Vale host Cecil Baldwin shares his tech pet peevesMay 30The SpaceX IPO is great for Elon Musk and terrible for youMay 29Backrooms is at the forefront of horror’s YouTube waveMay 30How one founder’s bet on ‘the old school web’ is paying off45 seconds agoMarathon’s second season is a chance for Bungie to turn things aroundThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights ReservedNotifications DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Sign in to see your notifications or create an account to join the conversation.Sign in

A meteor event occurred off the coast of Boston, characterized by a significant explosion. The event is reported to have unfolded with the force equivalent to 300 tons of TNT, as documented by Terrence O'Brien. The fireball streaked over the northeastern United States and detonated north of Cape Cod Bay, an event that was visually captured by multiple observers and was discernible in satellite imagery.

Initial reactions among residents involved speculation regarding seismic activity, with some initially suspecting an earthquake due to the shaking and noise. However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) subsequently denied this association, clarifying that the event was a widely felt sonic boom resulting from a suspected bolide, rather than an earthquake. NASA officially described the occurrence as a bright fireball accompanied by a loud noise.

According to NASA, the meteor was traveling at approximately 75,000 miles per hour when it began to fragment at an altitude of 40 miles over northeast Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire. The energy released during this breakup was estimated to be equivalent to roughly 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the intensity of the observed detonation. Furthermore, NASA's deputy news chief, Jennifer Dooren, provided context, stating that this fireball was not related to any currently active meteor shower, and it was determined to be a natural object, explicitly ruling out the possibility that it was a re-entry of space debris or a satellite.