Rogue asteroid that could 'destroy city' entered Earth's atmosphere and just missed planet
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FEARS over the threat of unknown asteroids to our planet have been heightened after a space rock that could have potentially destroyed a whole city missed us by just a few hundred miles.
By Jon Austin
May 24, 2016
The rogue space rock entered our atmosphere and was luckily burnt up, sending shockwaves across Mexico where residents feared it was an earthquake or volcanic eruption.
The fireball was so bright, it lit up five different states and shook houses with loud explosions.
The phenomenon was recorded over the centre of Mexico where it was studied by astronomer Jose Ramon Valdes, the coordinator of the National Institute for Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE).
A press conference was launched in the wake of the unexpected near miss.
Mr Valdes explained that the fireball was considered by many to be a meteorite, but because it did not impact the planet, but rather passed through the Earth's atmosphere, it was technically still part of an ancient asteroid.
NASA and other space agencies have only managed to track a tiny fraction of the asteroids that pose a danger to our planet.
Smaller sized asteroids, which can still devastate huge areas if they struck are the hardest to identify, meaning a sudden and unexpected impact is a real possibility.
Mr Valdes said: "The trajectory of big asteroids can be seen and monitored, the problem is the small ones that we cannot see.
"These objects are remnants of the formation of the solar system of our planet. A big one could totally demolish a city.
"There are many, but few reach the ground, however we must be prepared for a big one, because they are fatal and would finish a city and are what we are monitoring."
In this case, it was the rock's interaction with our atmosphere that caused the shockwave from the asteroid that people in Mexico heard and felt.
The distance of around 620 miles sounds far, but in terms of a space rock it is as close a shave as possible.
NASA monitors so-called near Earth asteroids passing us as far away as 11million miles due to concern over the accuracy of calculated orbital paths.
The fireball was recorded by the platform SkyAlert, which alerts about natural phenomena, in the early hours of the morning.
The platform tweeted at 01.47 saying: "A White light was seen and an explosion heard. It is very probable that the explosion was due to a meteorite entering the Earth's atmosphere.
"No incidents have been reported, meaning it is probable it did not reach the ground."
A White light was seen and an explosion heard. It is very probable that the explosion was due to a meteorite entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The images show a fireball crossing the sky, visible behind the clouds as well as lighting up the sky of a town square and residential areas.
One resident of Puebla, Eduardo Bravo, said: "The sky was lit up as if lightning had struck and a few seconds later we saw an orange object like a rocket."
The Civil Guard also commented on the incident and said that no material damage has been reported.
The real threat posed by these unknown asteroids became very real in February 2013, when out of nowhere a large meteor exploded in the skies above Chelyabinsk in Russia.
The shockwaves were so powerful it shattered glass on hundreds of buildings in the town, injuring 1,500 people.
Miraculously, no one died.
A Very Bright Fireball, Meteor, Exploded over Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico, May 21, 2016
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