NASA says meteor that landed in Cape Cod considered to be made of iron

Mass. — NASA released new data and analysis on the meteor that crashed and landed in Cape Cod Bay on Saturday.

The data suggests that the five-foot-wide meteor had a steep entry angle at an unusually high altitude of 31 miles above ground, double that of the typical 15 miles.

The meteor itself was only on radar for approximately 2 minutes, quicker than the usual 8-10 minutes that meteors usually appear. NASA suggests that the data provided gives evidence that the meteor had broken into fragments and produced small pieces.

The density of the meteor was calculated and valued at 8000 kg/m3, which is consistent with an iron meteorite.

Saturday’s meteor caused quite the commotion, leaving many in the Northeast puzzled over the loud sonic boom that it generated. Many reported hearing an explosion, but NASA later confirmed that it was, in fact, a meteor.

With all values considered, NASA believes that the meteorite was “evidently very mechanically strong,” but cannot confirm this.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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