New England Meteor Airburst Shakes Homes with 300-Ton TNT Blast
A meteor exploded high over northeastern United States, releasing an energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT. The fireball traveled roughly 75,000 mph at an altitude of ~40 miles, not tied to a debris re-entry or a meteor shower. The resulting airburst generated loud booms that rattled homes and blew out windows across hundreds of square miles, injuring around 1,600 people. By comparison, the 2013 Chelyabinsk event released far more energy (around 440,000 tons).