This asteroid has been confirmed to be the smallest space rock documented

An asteroid, identified as 2022 WJ1, exploded in a bright green fireball over southern Ontario on November 19, 2022, according to a new study published in The Planetary Science Journal. The space rock, which was just 50 centimeters wide, is the smallest asteroid ever accurately measured, as confirmed by researchers. It was first detected just hours before it entered Earth’s atmosphere and lit up the sky near Niagara Falls for about 10 seconds, reports show.

Asteroid detection and impact details

The asteroid was detected by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, who successfully predicted its trajectory and location of entry. Its breakup in the lower atmosphere was attributed to intense air friction, leading to the fireball visible in southern Ontario and parts of the United States, including New York and Ohio. According to According to The New York Times, the event also caused a loud bang.

Observations of the asteroid were made using equipment such as the 4.3-meter Lowell Discovery Telescope and Western University’s meteor camera network. study. These instruments recorded the asteroid’s brightness and trajectory, allowing scientists to determine its size, which ranged between 16 and 24 inches.

Advances in asteroid monitoring

Study co-author Denis Vida, a specialist in meteor physics at Western University, said in a statement that the unprecedented use of both telescopic and fireball camera data allowed for more accurate analysis of the asteroid’s size and composition. According to the researchers, this approach is the first example of such a detailed comparison.

The study’s lead author, Teddy Kareta, an astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, emphasized in the publication that this method could improve future asteroid monitoring and characterization efforts.

Challenges for meteorite recovery

Although fragments of 2022 WJ1 were expected to land in Lake Ontario, none have been recovered so far, according to a NASA report. Phil McCausland, a planetary scientist at Western University, suggested that pieces of meteorite could still emerge over time, as cited in the study. Researchers continue to look for potential remnants to further investigate the asteroid’s properties.