Russia suffers rare meteor strike
FEB 15, 2013
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026774
BBC : Earlier today a meteor struck in the Ural Mountains of central Russia. People reported seeing a fireball streaking across the sky about 9:20am local time, followed by loud bangs. According to officials, the meteor weighed about 10 tons and was traveling at least 54 000 km/h when it entered Earth’s atmosphere and shattered into fragments. Most affected was the region of Chelyabinsk, where a large fragment landed in a lake, sending a shockwave that broke windows and shook buildings in nearby towns. More than 900 people were injured; most suffered minor cuts and bruises, but dozens had to be hospitalized. Scientists say there is no link between the meteor strike and asteroid 2012 DA 14, which is expected to fly past Earth later today.
© 2013 American Institute of Physics
