A 3‑foot meteor entered the atmosphere near the New Hampshire‑Massachusetts border at about 2:30 p.m . Saturday, producing a double sonic boom that rattled buildings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and sent a wave of 911 calls into the night. The American Meteor Society (AMS) confirmed the event, noting the meteor’s size and the distinct bright flash captured by NOAA satellites.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island hear double boom at 2:30 p.m.

The boom was heard across a wide swath of New England, from Boston to Providence, and even reported as far west as Delaware and as far north as Montreal. Residents described the sound as “explosion‑like,” prompting many to fear structural collapse or an earthquake. Police departments in Watertown and Coventry issued statements acknowledging the noise but found no damage or hazards. According to the AMS, the double boom was a sonic shockwave produced by the meteor traveling faster than the speed of sound.

NOAA satellites confirm bright flash over Boston

NOAA’s flash density product recorded a large, anomalous signature over Boston at the same time as the boom. meteorologists Nick Stewart and Ken Mahan, both researchers at the University of Massachusetts , confirmed that the flash was characteristic of a bolide re‑entry, not a thunderstorm. Stewart posted on X that the satellite data matched the profile of a fireball, while Mahan explained that the compression of air ahead of the meteor created the intense sonic boom. The satellite evidence corroborated the AMS’s identification of the meteor as a 3‑foot wide fireball.

Witnesses report shock from Delaware to Montreal

Reports poured in from as far as Delaware to Montreal, with many describing ground shaking, a bright streak across the daytime sky, and the sudden, powerful boom. social media posts captured dashcam footage of the noise, and residents shared stories of their pets leaping or houses trembling. One New England resident wrote, “I thought my house was exploding. I ran outside.” These accounts illustrate how a rleatively small meteor can generate widespread alarm when it enters the atmosphere at high speed.

What the American Meteor Society says about the 3‑foot meteor

Robert Lunsford, AMS’s Fireball Program Monitor, noted that the meteor was larger than typical fireballs and estimated its diameter at one to two meters. he explained that while some fragments may have reached the ground, it was more likely the object burned up or landed in the ocean. The AMS is continuing to collect reports to analyze the trajectory and potential landing site. According to the AMS, the event highlights the need for public awareness of fireball activity and encourages people to report sightings to improve tracking of near‑Earth objects.

Who burned up or landed in the ocean?

While AMS suggests the meteor likely disintegrated or fell into the ocean, no debris has been found to date. The lack of physical evidence leaves open the question of whether any fragments survived the atmospheric passage. Future investigations by NOAA and the AMS may shed light on the meteor’s final fate, but for now, residents can rest assured that the boom was a natural phenomenon and not a cause for alarm.