Atmospheric physicist Nick Gorkavyi missed witnessing an event of the century last winter when a meteor exploded over his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia. From Greenbelt, Md., however, NASA’s Gorkavyi and colleagues witnessed the atmospheric aftermath. The explosion created a never-before-seen belt of “meteor dust” that circulated through the stratosphere for at least three months. Shortly […]
Tag Archives: meteor
When Does an Asteroid Become a Meteor?
EARTH — NASA has been watching an asteroid, Asteroid 2012 DA14, fly near Earth; however, they missed another asteroid that became a meteor in Russia. An asteroid when it enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Usually, they burn up upon entry. Not this time. A Russian health official estimated 1,000 people were injured when a 10 ton […]