Mumbai, April 18: Hours after being found on Monday, an asteroid struck Earth and exploded into a brilliant fireball that was visible across Europe. According to a press release from the European Space Agency, astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky discovered an asteroid at the Piszkéstet Observatory in Hungary around 12:18 p.m. ET on Sunday that had been initially given the name Sar2667.

Minutes later, a second observation was made, and it was reported to the Minor Planet Centre of the International Astronomical Union. Asteroid Day 2022: Five Times When Asteroids ALMOST Hit the Earth Bringing ‘Doomsday’. 

The Croatian Vinjan Observatory confirmed the asteroid about 40 minutes after it was found. The English Channel, a swath of the Atlantic Ocean that runs between southern England and northern France, is where the ESA reported that many impact assessment systems had spotted the asteroid and determined it has a "100% impact probability" above that region.

Fortunately, astronomers determined that it was a 3-foot asteroid with the official designation of 2023 CX1, suggesting that it did not represent a threat to the planet Earth.

The asteroid was tracked by astronomers all around the world through Sunday night and into Monday morning, when it finally became "invisible" as it entered the shadow of the Earth, according to the ESA.

Asteroid Hits Earth, Turns Into Fireball

The asteroid hit Earth's atmosphere at 9:58 p.m. ET (2:58 a.m. UT), transforming into a "beautiful fireball" that sped through the sky of Europe. According to NASA, a meteor that burnt up in Earth's atmosphere and was typically bright is also known as a fireball. Asteroid Day 2020: From 'What is Asteroid' to 'What Happens if Asteroid Hits Earth', FAQs About Space Rocks Answered. 

The International Meteor Organisation reported receiving 61 reports of the fireball throughout Wales, England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, indicating that the meteor was seen across western Europe. According to the ESA, it's possible that some asteroid bits made it to the Normandy coast, which is north of Rouen.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2023 10:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).