Meteor Explodes Over Rome, N.Y., Unleashing 300-Ton TNT-Equivalent Sonic Booms
Updated
Updated · WKTV · Jun 2
Meteor Explodes Over Rome, N.Y., Unleashing 300-Ton TNT-Equivalent Sonic Booms
3 articles · Updated · WKTV · Jun 2
A large meteor burned up and exploded over Rome, New York, on Saturday afternoon, leaving a bright white streak and triggering sonic booms heard across New England.
Adam Lark, a Hamilton College physics professor and observatory director, said the object likely blew apart under atmospheric pressure after entering Earth's atmosphere, releasing energy comparable to about 300 tons of TNT.
Lark said meteors are not unusual, but an object this size producing such a loud boom and visible trail is rare.
The event drew attention to Hamilton's astronomy work, where Lark and students have spent five years helping confirm exoplanets through NASA's TESS mission.