Meteor explodes over central Russia!

[Ian Flowes]

Just heard over the morning news.
It seems hundreds injured.

[glenc]

"Chelyabinsk Mega-meteor: Status Report
Although the cosmic intruder that exploded over Russia on February 15th had an estimated mass of 10,000 tons, less than 200 kg of it has been recovered to date.
Four months have passed since the early-morning bustle in and around Chelyabinsk, Russia, was shattered by a powerful cosmic explosion high in the sky. As reported here hours after the blast (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Meteorite-Explodes-Over-Russia-191379871.html) and in the days thereafter (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Info-on-Russian-Meteor-Pours-In-192286051.html), the intruder was a stony object about 54 feet (17 m) across that had a mass of roughly 10,000 tons (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Update-on-the-Russian-Mega-Meteor-195553631.html). Windows shattered in 7,000 buildings as a powerful blast wave engulfed the area, and some 1,700 people were injured (most by flying shards of glass)..."
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Chelyabinsk-Megameteor-A-Status-Report-212987401.html

[Astroman]

BTW beware if you are looking for the meteorites on eBay. There are many people out there claiming that, what they are selling is a true Chelyabinsk Meteorite. If in doubt make sure the seller is apart of the IMCA. If in doubt, don't buy.... Some of the sellers are switching names from other stony meteorites claiming they are true Chelyabinsk fragments...

[glenc]

Russian scientists have recovered a giant chunk of the Chelyabinsk meteor from the bottom of the lake it crashed into.
A meteor that blazed across the southern Urals in February was the largest recorded meteor strike in more than a century (http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/feb/15/40-russians-hospitalised-after-meteorite-falls).
More than 1,600 people were injured by the shock wave from the explosion, estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs, as it landed near the city of Chelyabinsk.
Scientists on Wednesday recovered what could be the largest part of this meteor from Chebarkul Lake outside the city.
They weighed it using a giant steelyard balance, which displayed 570 kilograms (1,256lbs) before it broke.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/16/chelyabinsk-meteor-russians-lake
Map http://goo.gl/maps/4JvyU