Topic: Meteor

NASA Astronomers see large explosion on the Moon caused by a Meteor Strike

May 20, 2013 |

Written by Dr. Tony Phillips
Science at NASA

Washington D.C. – For the past 8 years, NASA astronomers have been monitoring the Moon for signs of explosions caused by meteoroids hitting the lunar surface. “Lunar meteor showers” have turned out to be more common than anyone expected, with hundreds of detectable impacts occurring every year.

They’ve just seen the biggest explosion in the history of the program.

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NASA explains Explosion over Russia

March 1, 2013 |

Written by Dr. Tony Phillips
Science at NASA

Washington, D.C. – When the sun rose over Russia’s Ural Mountains on Friday, February 15th, many residents of nearby Chelyabinsk already knew that a space rock was coming. Later that day, an asteroid named 2012 DA14 would pass by Earth only 17,200 miles above Indonesia. There was no danger of a collision, NASA assured the public.

Maybe that’s why, when the morning sky lit up with a second sun and a shock wave shattered windows in hundreds of buildings around Chelyabinsk, only a few people picking themselves off the ground figured it out right away. This was not a crashing plane or a rocket attack.

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NASA reports Russia Meteor not connected to Asteroid Flyby, largest meteor strike since Tunguska event

By Bill Larson | February 16, 2013 |

Washington, D.C. – New information provided by a worldwide network of sensors has allowed scientists to refine their estimates for the size of the object that entered that atmosphere and disintegrated in the skies over Chelyabinsk, Russia, at 7:20:26pm PST, or 10:20:26pm EST on February 14th (3:20:26 UTC on February 15th).

The estimated size of the object, prior to entering Earth’s atmosphere, has been revised upward from 49 feet (15 meters) to 55 feet (17 meters), and its estimated mass has increased from 7,000 to 10,000 tons. Also, the estimate for energy released during the event has increased by 30 kilotons to nearly 500 kilotons of energy released.

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NASA’s AIM researchers discover Meteor Smoke in the makeup of Noctilucent Clouds

August 9, 2012 |

Written by  Dr. Tony Phillips
Science at NASA

Washington, D.C. – Anyone who’s ever seen a noctilucent cloud or “NLC” would agree: They look alien. The electric-blue ripples and pale tendrils of NLCs reaching across the night sky resemble something from another world.

Researchers say that’s not far off. A key ingredient for the mysterious clouds comes from outer space.

“We’ve detected bits of ‘meteor smoke’ imbedded in noctilucent clouds,” reports James Russell of Hampton University, principal investigator of NASA’s AIM mission to study the phenomenon. “This discovery supports the theory that meteor dust is the nucleating agent around which NLCs form.”

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