Krisztián Sárneczky, a Hungarian astronomer at the Piszkésteto Mountain Station, part of the Konkoly Observatory in Budapest, reported an asteroid at 21:22 UTC on March 11, 2022, barely two hours before it collided with Earth’s atmosphere.
The small rocky object designated 2022 EB5 collided with Earth about north of Iceland. The 2022 EB5 was about the size of a typical step ladder, at only 10 feet wide. It was travelling at a speed of around 11 miles per second.
The asteroid melted harmlessly in Earth’s atmosphere due to its high speed. However, due to its modest size, researchers believe that even if the asteroid had collided with Earth, it would not have caused much harm.
For now, it is unknown whether any remnant fragments survived the crash. However, some Icelanders reported hearing a loud boom or witnessing a flash of light, leading the International Meteor Organization to look for eyewitnesses. Asteroid passes through our atmosphere generally result in a brilliant meteor or shooting star, sometimes referred to as a fireball.
When the asteroid 2022 EB5 crashed into Earth, it became the fifth known occurrence of an asteroid being discovered before impact, following the asteroid 2008 TC3, the asteroid 2014 AA, the asteroid 2018 LA, and the asteroid 2019 MO.
NASA recently conducted a simulated experiment to evaluate the impact of an asteroid colliding with Earth, according to a new study. The two-day simulated exercise was designed to test the US’ ability to respond effectively in an asteroid collision. It also examined whether agency officials could work together effectively at the federal, state, and local levels.
Fortunately, an asteroid impact with Earth is one of the few natural disasters that science can predict and possibly avoid.
Source: The Sun