A meteor that exploded off the coast of Massachusetts set off a loud boom equivalent to 300 tons of TNT, NASA said.

A meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts, causing a loud boom that could be heard throughout the state Saturday afternoon.

The USGS noted the event was a "widely felt sonic boom from a suspected bolide," referring to a meteor that explodes in the atmosphere.

The fireball was detected on Saturday, May 30

A meteor caused a loud boom over Rhode Island on Saturday. Video shows exactly what is sounded like.

For Connecticut residents, the event was a reminder that dramatic sky events over New England can be regional even when the loudest impacts are felt elsewhere. Connecticut State Police reported no official boom calls, but the fireball was part of the same broader weather-and-sky system being watched across southern New England on a stormy Saturday.

It sounded like an explosion. For some, it felt like one. Just after 2 p.m. on May 30, residents across Massachusetts—and well beyond—were jolted by a sudden, thunderous boom that rattled homes and shook windows.

A meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts Saturday afternoon.