When an asteroid was detected three hours before it exploded over Berlin

It was in the wee hours of January 21 when people in Germany witnessed a fireball passing overhead before dimming and finally disappearing in the sky. The fireball was an asteroid that has entered Earth’s atmosphere.

But, what’s more interesting is it was first detected just three hours before it arrived above the planet, and a race began to observe the new cosmic guest.

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Nasa’s Scout impact assessment system was the first to provide an advanced warning of the small asteroid’s imminent impact, allowing for unprecedented preparations and insights into Earth’s vulnerability.

The asteroid, later designated as 2024 BX1, disintegrated harmlessly over Germany, near Berlin, on Sunday, creating a bright fireball visible from as far away as the Czech Republic.

FINDING ASTEROID

This event marked the eighth time in history that a small Earth-bound asteroid had been detected while still in space, well before entering and disintegrating in our atmosphere. Nasa’s Scout system, designed to monitor potential asteroid threats, played a crucial role in the timely prediction and assessment of this celestial encounter.

The three-foot (1-meter) asteroid’s impact occurred approximately 95 minutes after Scout issued an alert specifying the location and time of impact.

This rapid response trajectory computation and impact alert system showcased NASA’s prowess in planetary defense, emphasizing its ability to assess potential threats and provide crucial warnings.

The initial observation of the asteroid was made by Krisztian Sarneczky at the Piszkesteto Mountain Station of the Konkoly Observatory near Budapest, Hungary, less than three hours before impact. This early detection triggered a series of observations reported to the Minor Planet Center, ultimately leading to Scout’s automatic retrieval of the data for trajectory computation.

Scout, developed and operated by the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, utilised the available data to deduce the asteroid’s trajectory and the likelihood of an Earth impact.

With the increasing probability of impact, Scout continuously refined its estimates of the time and location, providing real-time information crucial for preparedness and public awareness.

The asteroid’s disintegration over a populated area, approximately 60 kilometers west of Berlin, allowed for the capture of numerous photos and videos of the bright fireball, which circulated online within minutes of the event.