A small asteroid, C0WEPC5, with a diameter of no more than 70 centimeters, is on a collision course with Earth and expected to burn over Northern Siberia as soon as it enters the atmosphere. This marks only the 11th instance where an asteroid’s impact has been predicted ahead of time.
Experts have reassured that the event poses no threat, likely producing a stunning fireball without causing significant damage. Small asteroids like this often disintegrate harmlessly due to their size and inability to withstand atmospheric entry heat.
The European Space Agency announced the approaching asteroid on its social media platform X, stating it will produce a nice fireball in the sky over northern Siberia around 7 hours from now. The asteroid was discovered by the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona.
This is the fourth asteroid expected to impact Earth this year, following one detected in January, another in September, and a third in October. Early detection of near-Earth objects (NEOs) helps with deflection or saving human lives.
Several international programs and observatories are working together to track asteroids, including NASA’s CNEOS and the European Space Agency’s NEOCC. The harmless impact of asteroid C0WEPC5 highlights the growing accuracy of asteroid detection systems, which are crucial for safeguarding Earth from larger, potentially hazardous asteroids in the future.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/earth-to-witness-an-asteroid-collision-tonight-and-this-is-how-it-will-impact-us/articleshow/115939188.cms