In what Wales Online calls a “historic first” a newly discovered asteroid exploded over the English Channel. On Monday a small asteroid designated Sar2667 turned into a vast fireball ‘airburst’ at around 3 am local time.
According to international media reports, multiple videos captured Sar2667 exploding over the English Channel as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Got It! How beautiful! #Sar2667 #Asteroid pic.twitter.com/tpLQkJpcCv
— Kade 🧑🏻🔬🌌 (@KadeFlowers) February 13, 2023
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), this was only the seventh time in history that an asteroid impact was so accurately predicted in advance.
The sky event is known as an “airburst.”
The ESA had forecast that the asteroid was going to “safely strike” the Earth’s atmosphere near Rouen, France.
Scientists named the asteroid when they spotted it approaching Earth. Within hours they were able to predict when and where the airburst would occur.
The prediction that Sar2667 would safely impact the French-English Channel at 03:00:03 UT was accurate. The size was calculated to be around 1 meter (3.2 feet) and the airburst would appear as bright as the Moon momentarily on entry to the Earth’s atmosphere was also spot on.
