Paris: In the early hours of Wednesday, an asteroid streaked through the night sky over Yakutia, a remote region in Russia’s far east. The fiery display created a bright fireball before likely disintegrating in Earth’s atmosphere, officials and scientists reported.
The Yakutia emergencies ministry stated that all relevant agencies had been placed on alert as the asteroid approached. Fortunately, no damage was reported following its descent. “Residents of Olekminsk and Lensk districts were able to observe in the night a tail similar to a comet and a flash,” the ministry confirmed.
Advanced Prediction System
The European Space Agency (ESA), writing on X, revealed that the asteroid, measuring approximately 70 cm (28 inches) in diameter, was detected about 12 hours prior to its atmospheric entry. The agency stated the asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere at 1:15 a.m. local time (1615 GMT).
“Thanks to observations from astronomers around the world, our alert system was able to predict this impact to within +/- 10 seconds,” the ESA noted, emphasizing the significance of global collaboration in tracking such cosmic events.
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A Celestial Spectacle
Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer from Queen’s University in Belfast, described the asteroid as “a small one, but it will still be quite spectacular, visible for hundreds of kilometres.” His remarks, shared with New Scientist magazine before the fireball’s appearance, underscored the visual impact of the event despite the asteroid’s modest size.
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This celestial phenomenon captivated the residents of Yakutia and highlighted the growing capability of astronomers to detect and track near-Earth objects, ensuring public safety while offering a glimpse of the universe’s wonders.
