WATCH asteroid exploding into ‘fireball’

Stargazers were blown away by the spectacular light show above the English Channel early on Monday morning

Skywatchers were treated to a rare sight in the early hours of Monday morning when a small asteroid created a spectacular light show as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere. The meter-sized object struck the surface of the atmosphere above the French city of Rouen, and created a stunning ‘shooting star’ effect over the English Channel.

The European Space Agency (ESA) had announced the imminent arrival of the celestial rock on Sunday night. It was only the seventh time scientists have accurately predicted an asteroid striking the atmosphere.

The International Meteor Organization added that the object would land around 2.5 miles from the French coast near the port city of Rouen and that it would create a “fireball” or “shooting star” effect visible to the naked eye at around 3.50am CET on Monday.

This is “a sign of the rapid advancements in global asteroid detection capabilities,” the ESA said. The agency added that it expected the rock, which is estimated to have been no bigger than one meter, to “safely strike” the atmosphere, and that there was no threat to life.

#Sar2667 depuis Rouen c’est énorme !
Super lumineux ! pic.twitter.com/PMArwXHh5t

— MegaLuigi