Loud Noises Disrupt Southern New England Quiet

A meteor about 3 feet wide entered Earth’s atmosphere near the Massachusetts/New Hampshire state line on Saturday afternoon, causing a loud boom. The American Meteor Society reports that it is unlikely the meteor hit the ground, as it broke apart before reaching the surface.

NASA confirmed the sighting of a fireball meteor at 2:06 p.m. EDT. It travelled at approximately 75,000 mph and exploded at an altitude of 40 miles above northeast Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire. This fireball is not linked to any active meteor shower; it was a natural object and not space debris. The explosion released energy similar to 300 tons of TNT, which created the loud noise heard across the region.

Local residents reported their houses shaking after the boom. The NOAA’s GOES satellite detected a significant flash in Massachusetts Bay, likely caused by the meteor’s explosion.

Most meteors are usually tiny, like grains of sand, and are often silent during meteor showers. However, this meteor was much larger. A meteor becomes a meteorite if it strikes the Earth’s surface, but it seems this one disintegrated in the atmosphere without making contact.

How much do you know?

How wide was the meteor that entered Earth's atmosphere near the Massachusetts/New Hampshire state line?

1 foot

3 feet

5 feet

10 feet

At what speed did the meteor travel?

10,000 mph

30,000 mph

75,000 mph

100,000 mph

What altitude did the meteor explode at?

20 miles

30 miles

40 miles

50 miles

How much energy did the explosion of the meteor release?

100 tons of TNT

200 tons of TNT

300 tons of TNT

400 tons of TNT

What satellite detected the significant flash in Massachusetts Bay?

Landsat

Hubble

NOAA's GOES satellite

Terra

Was the fireball meteor linked to any active meteor shower?

Yes

No

Only during the day

Only during the night

The meteor hit the ground after entering the atmosphere.

True False

The explosion of the meteor created a loud noise heard across the region.

True False

Most meteors are generally large and noisy.

True False

A meteor becomes a meteorite if it strikes the Earth's surface.

True False

NASA confirmed the sighting of the meteor at 2:06 p.m. EDT.

True False

The meteor disintegrated in the atmosphere without striking the Earth's surface.

True False

The meteor caused a loud boom and was about wide.

NASA confirmed the fireball meteor at p.m. EDT.

The meteor travelled at approximately mph.

The explosion released energy similar to tons of TNT.

A meteor becomes a meteorite if it the Earth's surface.

Local residents reported their houses shaking after the .

This question is required