We couldn’t predict this was going to happen. The pieceof rock that actually entered the atmosphere was relatively small, maybe only afew meters across. And so we couldn’t see this before it entered. 

 

When something like this happens, there is no doubtabout it, it’s frightening. But I have to admit, as a geologist, witnessing aonce-in-a-lifetime event, it’s utterly thrilling. 

 

You only had to look at social media to see thatscientists all over the UK and around the world were getting very, very excitedabout this as the news broke.

 

It was exciting. It was exciting for me as ameteoriticist because you immediately want to know what is it? What’s landed? Isit a bit of Mars or a bit from an asteroid? 

 

I was almost ashamed that I had such greatexcitement about seeing this event and knowing that meteorites had fallenbecause people had been injured. 

 

Chebarkul was the biggest meteorite to strike theEarth since we’ve had the technology to measure them. From its journey throughthe atmosphere to its spectacular end, every moment was captured. 

 

One of the best documented 16 seconds in scienceever.

 

The best 16 seconds of science.

 

Professor Alan Fitzsimmons is one of the scientistswho’s been examining the meteorite footage frame by frame.