CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Meteor enters Earth’s atmosphere

(NBC, KYMA) - A meteor that reportedly entered the atmosphere Saturday was briefly caught on camera.

The American Meteor Society said the object was about three-feet wide and entered the atmosphere north of Boston Saturday afternoon.

NASA confirmed it was natural material and not a piece of space debris.

When it happened just after 2 p.m. Eastern, there were reports of a loud explosion throughout New England.

NASA said the meteor was traveling at roughly 75,000 miles per hour and likely burst about 40 miles above ground.

When it burst, the space agency estimates the energy released was the equivalent of 300 tons of dynamite, which explains the booms.