The Chelyabinsk meteor was a superbolide that entered Earth's atmosphere over the southern Ural region in Russia on 15 February 2013 at about 09:20 YEKT. It was caused by an approximately 18 m (59 ft) diameter, 9,100-tonne (10,000-short-ton) near-Earth asteroid that entered the atmosphere at a shallow 18.3 ± 0.4 degree angle with a speed relative to Earth of 19.16 ± 0.15 kilometres per second. The light from the meteor was briefly brighter than the Sun, visible as far as 100 km (60 mi) away. It was observed in a wide area of the region and in neighbouring republics. Some eyewitnesses also reported feeling intense heat from the fireball.
A sample found by Ural Federal University scientists at Lake Chebarkul. The object is part of the Chelyabinsk meteorite.
A full view of the smoke trail with the bulbous section corresponding to a mushroom cloud's cap.
A picture taken of the smoke trail with the double plumes visible either side of the bulbous "mushroom cloud" cap.
Shattered windows in the foyer of the Chelyabinsk Drama Theatre.
A bolide is normally taken to mean an exceptionally bright meteor, but the term is subject to more than one definition, according to context. It may refer to any large crater-forming body, or to one that explodes in the atmosphere. It can be a synonym for a fireball, sometimes specific to those with an apparent magnitude of −4 or brighter.
A bolide – a very bright meteor of an apparent magnitude of −4 or brighter