The unsettling boom, rumble and shaking heard and felt across Greater Boston Saturday afternoon may have come from a meteor.
First reports of the sound came at 2:11 p.m. Saturday, according to 1 Degree Outside meteorologist Danielle Noyes. The U.S. Geological Survey did not detect an earthquake at the time, according to Noyes.
There was, however, a flash detected on weather radar in a place where there was no thunder activity. That’s consistent with what’s called a bolide — a meteor that explodes in the atmosphere — said Noyes.
The flash density product really shows this anomalous "flash" which is pretty distinctive of a bolide/meteor reentry. east of Boston. This is the likely source of the loud boom/explosion. pic.twitter.com/ka5b9KfiQ7
— Nick Stewart (@NStewWX) May 30, 2026
Confirming the exploding space rock isn’t easy, however. An official at the National Weather Service said it was up to NASA to confirm whether the sound came from a meteor. While the radar signature hints at a meteor, it may require finding pieces of the debris for final confirmation, said Noyes.
Residents from communities in northern New England to southern Rhode Island reported experiencing the sudden ruckus on Saturday.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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