A meteor that exploded over the northeastern United States on Saturday was travelling at 75,000 miles per hour before breaking apart, Nasa has confirmed. The fireball disintegrated above northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire just after 2pm local time, producing a blast equivalent to 300 tons of TNT.
Jennifer Dooren, Nasa's deputy news chief, said the meteor was not associated with any active meteor shower and was a natural object, not space debris or a satellite. The energy released during the breakup was estimated at 300 tons of TNT, which accounted for the loud booms heard across the region.
The meteor broke apart at an altitude of 40 miles, according to Dooren. Residents reported feeling their houses shake from the powerful booms, with social media users expressing alarm over the unexpected noise.
