Origins of Russian fireball found: Scientists say... [similar orbit to asteroid 2014 UR116]

Daily Mail ^ | April 8, 2015 | Ellie Zolfagharifard

[SunkenCiv]

...the Kola fireball had a 'disturbingly similar' path to asteroid 2014 UR116, which is due to pass by the moon in 2017. Spotted on April 19 last year, researchers used camera footage to help recreate its trajectory and hunt down any remaining fragments... This led researchers to the Annama meteorite, which is an ordinary H5 chondrite -- a group of space rocks with high strength that make up 31 per cent of meteorite falls. The computer model compared the orbit of Annama, a 1,100lb (500kg) rock, with the evolution of a dozen orbits of near-Earth asteroids... Vladimir Lipunov, a professor at Moscow State University, said the space rock, poses no immediate threat -- although warned it could 'theoretically' hit Earth. However, he said it highlights the damage an asteroid could cause - in this case an explosion 1,000 times greater than the surprise 2013 impact of a bus-sized meteor in Russia. At 400-metres (1,300 feet) in size, the space rock is about the same size as the Empire State Building is tall. Proffesor Lipunov said it is difficult to calculate the orbit of big rocks like '2014 UR116' because their trajectories are constantly being changed by the gravitational pull of other planets... While the study does not claim that asteroid 2014 UR116 sent the Annama meteorite directly at Earth, it suggests the two bodies are related... 'The tidal effect on an asteroid, which rapidly rotates under the gravitational field of a planet, can fragment these objects or release large rocks from its surface,' said Trigo... The researchers hope their latest study will help shed light on how asteroid create projectiles, and which ones pose a threat to Earth.

[SunkenCiv]

Full title, "Origins of Russian fireball found: Scientists say meteor had a 'disturbingly similar' orbit to potentially hazardous asteroid".

A stunning fireball that crackled across the sky near the Russian-Finnish border last year shared its orbit with a huge asteroid found in October. Pictured is he fireball at the time of entry at the Kola Peninsula [© Asko Aikkila]

[SunkenCiv]

Annama meteorite [© Jakub Haloda]

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

• Bigger than Apophis: Dangerous 300+ meter asteroid to cross Earth orbit every 3 years
• Fear Not: Quarter-Mile Asteroid Is No Threat To Earth, NASA Says

[SunkenCiv]

Extra to APoD.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The researchers hope their latest study will help shed light on how asteroid create projectiles, and which ones pose a threat to Earth.

There are no asteroids that pose a threat to Earth.

There are, however, some asteroids that pose a threat to LIFE on Earth. Human life especially.

[BenLurkin]

Thought provoking.

[JimSEA]

I’d love to find one. Just handling something formed from the dust and small particles orbiting the embryonic sun some 4.55 billion years ago would be awe inspiring.

[McGruff]

Russian1: Comrade, how come asteroids and meteors only fall on Russia?
Russian2: I don't know comrade. Pass the wadka.

[SunkenCiv]

;’) Ya have a lot of time zones, ya have a lot of kaboom from the skies. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[SunkenCiv]

:’) Good post.

[SunkenCiv]

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