Falling asteroid lights up sky in rural Russia, locals see comet-like fireball racing towards Earth | Watch
An asteroid created a fireball in Yakutia, Russia, early Wednesday, reportedly burning up in the atmosphere. Local residents witnessed a comet-like tail and flash, with no reported damage. The European Space Agency detected the asteroid 12 hours prior, accurately predicting its impact.
Locals in Russia's remote region of Yakutia witnessed a comet-like fireball falling to the earth early on December 4, according to a Reuters report citing an official statement and scientists' reports on the phenomenon.
The asteroid, which burned up the atmosphere and lit up the sky, was visible to residents in the Lensk and Olekminsk districts of Russia's remote eastern Yakutia region.
According to a statement from the emergencies ministry in the region, all official bodies had been placed on alert due to the asteroid, but no damage was reported after it crashed, as per Reuters.
‘A Comet and a Flash’
“Residents of Olekminsk and Lensk districts were able to observe in the night a tail similar to a comet and a flash,” the ministry statement said.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the asteroid was believed to have been 70 cm across and was spotted 12 hours before its appearance in the sky. Posting on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the ESA said that the asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere at 1.15 am local time (16.15 hours GMT).
“Thanks to observations from astronomers around the world, our alert system was able to predict this impact to within /- 10 seconds,” the agency said.
The New Scientist magazine quoted astronomer Alan Fitzsimmons of the Queen's University in Belfast, saying that the asteroid was "a small one, but it will still be quite spectacular, visible for hundreds of kilometres" before the fireball appeared.
Social Media Abuzz With Eyewitness Videos
Netizens were abuzz on social media platforms, with multiple accounts posting eye-witness videos of the spectacle on X.
One user wrote simply "#Asteroid"; while another marvelled at the view, writing, "And in case this week hasn't been eventful enough for you, here is a meteorite landing in Yakutia" (sic).
Take a look at the various videos captured via security cameras, or by space enthusiasts and locals.
(With inputs from Reuters)
- The European Space Agency successfully predicted the asteroid's impact time with incredible precision.
- Local residents witnessed a rare and spectacular natural phenomenon, sparking excitement on social media.
- The event highlights the importance of global collaboration in monitoring and predicting space events.
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