Shocking Fireball Crosses U.S. Sky and Triggers Explosion That Shook Homes

Fireball Seen Across US Sky

Explosion Shakes Homes

Fragments Fall in Ohio

A bright fireball streaked across the sky in the United States, producing a loud boom that startled thousands of people.

The phenomenon, recorded on Tuesday, March 17, quickly went viral on social media due to its intensity and the powerful sound that accompanied it.

According to official reports, the space object weighed more than seven tons and entered the atmosphere at high speed.

The event was visible in at least ten states, from Washington, DC, to the Canadian province of Ontario, according to NASA.

NASA Confirms Fireball and Atmospheric Explosion

US Fireball Meteor Explosion in March 2026-Photo: Shutterstock

The space agency explained that the loud boom was caused by the object breaking apart as it entered Earth’s atmosphere.

“As it fragmented, the space rock released energy equivalent to 250 tons of TNT,” NASA stated.

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The resulting shockwave was strong enough to shake some homes in areas where the sound was most intense.

Communities in Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania reported hearing an explosion that initially confused residents.

The US fireball meteor explosion became one of the most talked-about space events of the week.

The Sky Explosion in the US Was Captured on Video

The National Weather Service shared images of the event captured by one of its employees.

“One of our employees, Jared Rackley, captured this morning’s meteor on camera from the Pittsburgh area,” the agency reported.

Satellite images from the GLM also recorded the astronomical phenomenon around 13:01 UTC on March 17, confirming that it was a meteor.

According to preliminary data, the meteor traveled toward Lake Erie, near the coast of Lorain, Ohio, at an estimated speed of 72,000 kilometers per hour.

One of our employees, Jared Rackley, caught this morning’s meteor on camera from the Pittsburgh area. pic.twitter.com/2LdqOpChti

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2026

What Is an Asteroid?

An asteroid is a rocky body that orbits the Sun and can vary in size—from small fragments to objects hundreds of kilometers in diameter.

When one of these fragments enters Earth’s atmosphere and glows due to friction, it is observed as a meteor or fireball, as was observed in the US sky.

In this case, some small fragments reached the ground, although no major damage has been reported.

“Some fragments, small pieces, reached Earth. It could be a small asteroid that drifted from the belt, or a fragment of a larger one—we don’t really know,” explained the director of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office.

The latest GLM imagery (1301Z) does suggest that the boom was a result of a meteor. pic.twitter.com/CH7oJ4Q1OY

— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) March 17, 2026

Reactions and Ongoing Monitoring

The event triggered a wave of reactions on social media, where users shared videos and accounts of the loud boom.

Experts emphasized that such phenomena are not unusual, although explosions of this magnitude are rarely noticeable at ground level.

Authorities continue to monitor near-Earth objects to anticipate potential risks.

Meanwhile, the passage of this striking fireball served as a reminder of the constant activity occurring above us—even when we are not always aware of it, according to El Heraldo de México.