NASA has confirmed that the asteroid COWECP5, a 27-inch space rock, will safely pass through Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, producing a harmless fireball over Siberia. This marks the first of two anticipated asteroid events for the week. Although the fireball will be visible to people in the impacted region, NASA assures that there is no danger to Earth.
COWECP5, also known temporarily as C0WEPC5, is the 11th recorded asteroid event this year, and the fourth impact in 2024. Detected by NASA’s systems, including the renowned Arizona-based Kitt Peak National Observatory, COWECP5 has been closely monitored as it approached Earth. The asteroid’s entrance into the atmosphere is expected to cause a bright flash visible to the people of Yakutia in northern Siberia around 11:15 a.m. ET.
In addition to the brilliant fireball, the event is expected to offer a stunning visual experience for residents within a few hundred miles of the impact zone. A video shared on social media captured the extraordinary spectacle as the asteroid blazed across the sky. Local authorities have confirmed there were no reports of significant debris from the event, as the asteroid is predicted to burn up completely before reaching the ground.
While this type of asteroid event is rare, experts like Richard Moissl, head of the European Space Agency’s planetary defense branch, have described it as an awe-inspiring moment, adding that “it’s an impressive, very bright fireball.” Meanwhile, Professor Alan Fitzsimmons from Queen’s University Belfast reassured the public that, despite its eye-catching nature, the event posed no risk to Earth, describing the occurrence as “a win for science” and a brief, exciting distraction for Siberian residents from the cold weather.
NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) was the first to detect COWECP5, giving the public a short seven-hour notice before the event. The detection system is an integral part of NASA’s planetary defense initiative, which tracks and monitors potential threats from asteroids and other near-Earth objects. While the asteroid event over Siberia is a remarkable natural phenomenon, NASA continues to emphasize the importance of ongoing asteroid monitoring.
In addition to COWECP5, NASA is also tracking a much larger asteroid, 2020 XR, which will pass safely by Earth later on Wednesday at a distance of 1.37 million miles. Despite its imposing size—roughly 1,200 feet in diameter, nearly the size of the Empire State Building—2020 XR poses no risk to the planet. This flyby marks a continued effort by NASA and other space agencies to understand and monitor asteroid activity, with over 36,000 asteroid flybys recorded to date.
As the space community celebrates these successful observations, experts continue to focus on developing strategies to protect Earth from future asteroid impacts, underscoring the importance of monitoring these celestial objects in real time.
