Hours After Its Detection, An Asteroid Strikes Earth

On Sunday night, while Americans were busy enjoying the Super Bowl, Europe hosted a another event. A bright flare was seen early on Monday morning across western Europe as an asteroid that had only just been detected collided with the atmosphere.

Asteroid Sar2667 was discovered for the first time on February 12 in the late evening by astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky in Hungary. He claimed to have used a 2-foot telescope to discover the asteroid during a usual search for near-Earth objects.

It was instantly clear that it was a NEO, but it didn’t move very quickly across the sky because it was directly overhead and dim, the man stated.

Here are four different views of asteroid #SAR2667 as it enters the atmosphere over Western Europe. #Meteor #France #UK pic.twitter.com/TwGmOrEw2r
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) February 13, 2023

The 1-meter meteoroid was predicted to safely enter the atmosphere over northern France later that night, according to a statement released by European Space Agency Operations on Sunday evening after additional observatories confirmed its existence and course.

According to the International Meteor Organization, just before 3 a.m. UT, a “extremely bright ending flash of the meteor” was noticed, proving that the minor asteroid, now known as 2023 CX1, had reached the Earth’s atmosphere. It occurred close to Rouen, the regional capital of France’s Normandy.

One user wrote, “Just seen it and it was wonderful,” along with a video showing the asteroid hitting France from above the English Channel. “arrived vertically on schedule. 2:59. Green like a brilliant emerald, then suddenly fiery orange. Fantastic view, without a doubt…”

The fireball has been reported 40 times by people in England, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, according to the American Meteor Society.

Just saw it and it was magnificent. Came down vertically on time. 2:59. Green like a bright emerald then bright orange really quickly. Absolutely phenomenal view of the #asteroid #sar2667 tonight over the English Channel facing France (footage my own) pic.twitter.com/WjgsNOaKum
— مُحَمَّد (@aljibaalu) February 13, 2023

Only seven times in history has an asteroid been discovered before it collided with Earth. The most recent incident occurred on February 15, 2017, almost precisely 10 years after a meteor above Chelyabinsk, Russia, burst, injuring around 1,200 people and shattering glass in 3,600 residential buildings. EarthSky estimates that the asteroid that struck the earth on Monday was roughly 20 times larger, measuring 65 feet in diameter and moving at a speed of 12 miles per second.

Sárneczky discovered an asteroid before it struck Earth for the second time with this discovery. He discovered the about 10-foot-wide asteroid 2022 EB5 in March 2022, two hours before it slammed into the planet just north of Iceland.

Sárneczky told Space.com, “At the time, I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. “I was mistaken,”

Hours After Its Detection, An Asteroid Strikes Earth

On Sunday night, while Americans were busy enjoying the Super Bowl, Europe hosted a another event. A bright flare was seen early on Monday morning across western Europe as an asteroid that had only just been detected collided with the atmosphere.

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