Smallest Asteroid Ever Measured Exploded Over Niagara Falls in 2022

Astronomers detected and tracked the house cat-sized asteroid just hours before it entered Earth's atmosphere, producing a bright fireball and sonic boom.

• Asteroid 2022 WJ1, measuring only 16-27 inches across, is the smallest asteroid ever accurately measured before impact.
• It was detected by the Catalina Sky Survey on November 18, 2022, and tracked to its impact location near Niagara Falls the following day.
• The asteroid created a bright green fireball visible across southern Ontario and parts of the United States, accompanied by a loud sonic boom.
• Researchers used telescopes and meteor camera networks to analyze its trajectory, size, and composition, marking a breakthrough in asteroid monitoring techniques.
• Despite extensive searches, no fragments of the asteroid have been recovered, though scientists believe some may have landed in Lake Ontario or nearby areas.

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