Asteroid #C0WEPC5 (temporary designation) entered Earth's atmosphere at 16:15 UTC/17:15 CET, creating a fireball over Yakutia witnessed by people in the region!
The object was discovered roughly 12 hours before entering our atmosphere and is thought to have been around 70 cm across.
As ESA announced in "X" platform, thanks to observations from astronomers around the world, the alert system was able to predict this impact to within +/- 10 seconds.
C0WECP5 was identified through advanced monitoring technology designed to detect near-Earth objects. These systems operate constantly, scanning the skies for potential hazards. However, smaller objects like this are often detected only shortly before entering the atmosphere due to their diminutive size and low visibility.
This asteroid was expected to approach from the southeast, moving at an estimated velocity of 9.8 miles per second. It is predicted to enter Earth's atmosphere at an angle of roughly 60 degrees. Observers in regions such as Yakutsk, Mirny, and surrounding parts of Eastern Siberia could witness the fireball, though visibility depended on local weather conditions.
C0WECP5 is the twelfth asteroid to be detected before atmospheric entry and the fourth such event documented in 2024. Earlier occurrences this year included an asteroid entering over the Pacific Ocean in October, one over the Philippines in September, and another over Germany in January.
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