Meteorite spectacle over Berlin. Astonishing asteroid 2024 BX1 eruption caught by unprepared astronomers
The residents of Berlin and neighbouring areas have taken to social media to share a myriad of unusual photos and videos. On the night from Friday to Saturday, they witnessed a flaming orb in the sky that burst apart, much like a firework display.
8:48 PM EST, January 21, 2024
This spectacular event was actually a meteorite, specifically the asteroid 2024 BX1, being disintegrated in Earth's atmosphere. The impact near Berlin occurred at 7:33 PM Eastern Time. Astronomers speculate that the cosmic entity was about 3 feet wide. It managed to penetrate quite a depth into the Earth's atmosphere but was totally annihilated therein.
Unexpected meteorite over Berlin
The phenomenon, although startling, posed no significant threat. Exploding meteors can indeed reach the Earth's surface, but typically only in the form of dust. This particular rock that infiltrated the Earth's atmosphere near Berlin was too small to leave any remnants behind. Its explosion's emitted colours even suggest that it wasn't composed of particularly hard matter.
Observation of Asteroid 2024 BX1 from an Astronomical Perspective
It nonetheless remains a significant marvel. The existence and trajectory of the asteroid were unknown until only three hours before its collision with Earth. Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky first noticed it only on Saturday, during the late evening hours. As he conducted research at the Konkoly Observatory in the Mátra mountains, he made the observation of an alien object near Earth. He suspected it to be an uncharted asteroid and immediately informed the astronomical community.
Through this discovery, the asteroid 2024 BX1 was not only cataloged, but also documented just moments before its collision with Earth. Intriguing photos were captured at the Schiaparelli Observatory in Italy, near Varese.
