By Rohit Nagar
Publish date: 20 JAN 2024
On January 21, 2024, a small 1-meter asteroid hit Earth's atmosphere, illuminating the skies over Germany in a late-night event.
NASA had predicted the impact 90 minutes before it occurred, ensuring public awareness. The asteroid struck as projected, above an area west of Berlin.
Since the impact, footage of the fireball in the German skies has been circulating on social media, capturing the event from various perspectives.
Asteroid hunter Krisztián Sárneczky from Budapest detected the asteroid shortly before impact, marking his eighth such last-minute discovery.
Initially labeled Sar2736, the asteroid received the formal designation 2024 BX1 from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center.
Videos depict the asteroid blazing through Earth's atmosphere, appearing as a bright fireball or meteor during its descent.
NASA's timely prediction and the subsequent social media coverage highlight the global awareness and interest in celestial events, even when they pose no direct threat.