The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that a meteor was to blame for a loud explosion over Ohio and Pennsylvania. The object, which became a meteorite the moment it impacted Earth’s surface, created a “boom” sound, as described by confused residents in the area. So, where exactly did the object hit? Here’s what NASA and other officials revealed.
Did a Meteor Really Hit Earth in March 2026?
The NWS in Cleveland confirmed via X.com that the loud explosion on March 17, 2026, “was the result of a meteor.” The noise was heard by most people in Northeast Ohio.
The NWS cited Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) imagery while responding to a person who tweeted, “Heard the loudest boom just now in northeast OH. People heard it as far as Avon. What was that? Meteor?”
NASA also acknowledged that the object was a meteor, and that reports of sightings came from several states and regions, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada, per The Columbus Dispatch.
Where Did the Meteor Hit?
Fragments of the meteorite were reportedly seen the most across Medina County, Ohio.
What Is the Difference Between a Meteor, an Asteroid & a Comet?
Meteors, asteroids and comets are objects that orbit the Sun, but each of them is different. According to NASA, an asteroid is “a small, rocky object and when seen in a telescope, it appears as a point of light.” Some of these are round, while others can appear elongated, and most asteroids are normally found in the asteroid belt: a ring between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
A comet, however, is an object comprised of ice and dust, and when it gets close to the Sun, it vaporizes. So, a comet usually appears fuzzy in the sky or has a tail when seen in a telescope.
Meteoroids, on the other hand, are small pieces of an asteroid or a comet. They’re typically created from a collision. When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, it is then called a meteor. The meteor enters the atmosphere at high speeds and burns, producing a streak of light that we tend to call a “shooting star.” But if a meteor survives the burn and ends up landing on the surface, it would then be called a meteorite.
