A small asteroid recently made headlines as it was spotted approaching Earth, particularly over the skies of northern Siberia, where it entered the atmosphere on Tuesday morning. The European Space Agency had issued a warning regarding the asteroid, temporarily named C0WEPC5, which is 27 inches in diameter. They confirmed that while it would produce a bright fireball visible in the sky, the impact would not pose any threat to Earth.
This marked the fourth detected asteroid strike of the year, and such occurrences are referred to as “imminent impactors.” The Kitt Peak National Observatory was able to identify this fast-moving asteroid before its descent over Yakutia in northeastern Siberia at approximately 11:15 a.m. ET. Witnesses in the region reported a dazzling display as the asteroid created a fireball before dissipating. Currently, it is unclear whether any debris reached the ground.
Asteroid fly-bys are a common occurrence, and recent advancements in technology have led to a notable increase in their detection. Since October 2023, NASA has recorded 132 asteroids passing closer to Earth than the moon, contributing to a total exceeding 36,000 known fly-bys throughout history.
In addition to C0WEPC5, another asteroid named 2020 XR is expected to fly by Earth on Wednesday at 12:27 a.m. ET. This larger asteroid, measuring about 1,200 feet in diameter, will pass at a safe distance of 1.37 million miles from our planet. Although it is categorized as “potentially hazardous” due to its proximity, officials assure that it poses no risk.
The ability to detect and track these objects represents a significant achievement in space observation, enhancing our understanding of the cosmos and our safety in relation to near-Earth objects. With ongoing advancements in technology and monitoring, we can remain hopeful about our ability to foresee and mitigate any potential threats from asteroids in the future.