CBS 5 News' Sean McLaughlin interviews Astronomer Larry Wasserman at Meteor Crater on Friday.
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASAWINSLOW, AZ (CBS5) -
A meteor shattered over Russia Friday, and it happened just as scientists were waiting for an even bigger asteroid to fly by a little too close for comfort.
The fireball streaking through the skies over southwest Russia exploded above the Earth's surface and shattered glass, damaged buildings and left more than 1,000 people hurt, according to Russian media.
Scientists said the meteor that caused all the damage in Russia and the asteroid that whizzed by earth Friday afternoon are not related.
NASA scientists said the trajectory of the Russian meteor was very different. It passed the Earth going form north to south. The asteroid was traveling in the opposite direction, from south to north.
One of the last major meteors to hit the earth happened in Arizona.
Meteor Crater, between Flagstaff and Winslow, is where a meteor struck roughly 50,000 years ago.
The crater is 2.4 miles around, nearly one mile across, and roughly 550 feet deep.
The crater is about 25 miles east of Flagstaff.
The original meteorite, weighing 49 pounds, was stolen in August 1968.
The meteorite was found 50 years later at a garage sale. A man from Wisconsin bought it at the sale and used it to weigh down his grandson's basketball hoop. He was watching TV when he realized what he had and returned it to Meteor Crater.
Click here to learn more about Meteor Crater.
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