Social Media Buzz

Numerous videos from Siberia showing a spectacular flash in the sky are circulating on social media. The cause of the event is no mystery, nor is the fact that it posed no danger to us.

Internet Camera Captures the Asteroid

The “culprit” was a small asteroid that entered a collision course with Earth on December 3. The fireball seen in social media videos was the result of the asteroid burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Warnings from ESA

Interestingly, the European Space Agency (ESA) issued a warning about the approaching asteroid just hours before it entered Earth’s atmosphere. Experts emphasized that an object of this size posed no danger to people but promised a spectacular show.

“It’s small, but it will still be quite spectacular. Over the indicated area, it will be dark, and within a radius of several hundred kilometers, a very impressive, very bright fireball will appear in the sky,” explained Professor Alan Fitzsimmons from Queen’s University Belfast, an expert in asteroid and comet science.

Video Footage on Twitter

The event was also captured in a Twitter video, showcasing the breathtaking sight:

A Positive Sign

The asteroid, temporarily designated as C0WEPC5, had a diameter of approximately 70 cm and appeared over northern Siberia. ESA and other space agencies operate numerous sensor networks around Earth, allowing them to detect incoming objects like C0WEPC5.

Professor Fitzsimmons noted, “Our ability to detect objects before they impact Earth is growing,” highlighting this as another positive sign.