A meteorite that startled residents across New England with a thunderous “double boom” made a dramatic descent into Cape Cod Bay, experts have confirmed.
NASA reported that the meteorite disintegrated shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday, approximately 40 miles above the regions of northeast Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire. This information was shared via their social media channels.
The immense noise that alarmed locals was due to the energy unleashed during the meteorite’s breakup, which NASA equated to the detonation of about 300 tons of TNT.
Upon breaching the atmosphere, the meteorite plummeted into the heart of Cape Cod Bay in an occurrence playfully referred to as a “fishy squisher” by officials.
Submerged in waters 100 feet deep, the meteorite possesses a strong magnetic pull, making it feasible for a determined space rock enthusiast to retrieve it using a lengthy rope.
“Meteorites typically have a strong attraction to magnets, and this one can be reached with a 100-foot rope from a boat—just in case anyone finds this interesting,” NASA noted.
The phenomenon was observed from Delaware to Montreal and caused a spike in reports to the US Geological Survey, which registered the shaking with the National Earthquake Information Center.
