This Meteorite That Detonated Over Niagara Falls Was One-of-a-Kind

On the night of November 19, 2022, an extremely rare event lit up the sky above Niagara Falls: a meteorite, spotted only three hours before entering the atmosphere, offered a show of striking green light, followed by a powerful sonic boom. Visible from southern Ontario and several American states, this phenomenon marked a turning point in the observation of small asteroids.

Rapid detection for an exceptionally small asteroid

On November 19, 2022, astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona spotted meteorite 2022 WJ1 just three hours before it entered Earth's atmosphere. With a diameter estimated between 40 and 60 centimeters and a mass of around 220 kilograms according to Independent, this asteroid is the smallest ever measured before its impact. Despite its modest size, it provided a valuable opportunity for scientific research.

Thanks to early detection, researchers were able to position instruments along the asteroid's path. Among these tools, the Lowell Discovery telescope in Arizona and a network of meteor cameras in Ontario have captured essential data. These observations made it possible to precisely document the luminosity, chemical composition and speed of 2022 WJ1, offering unprecedented analysis for an asteroid of this size.

A light show followed by fallout in Lake Ontario

When it entered the Earth's atmosphere, the meteorite generated a bright green fireball that lit up the sky for about ten seconds. This light, caused by the asteroid's violent disintegration due to friction, was visible from southern Ontario and neighboring states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. The phenomenon was also accompanied by a powerful sonic boom.

After its explosion, the fragments of the meteorite were mainly dispersed in Lake Ontario. Search teams have not officially found any of the debris, although they have explored the area around St. Catharines.

According to experts, very small pieces would lie at the bottom of the body of water or be buried in the ground. This difficulty in recovering fragments is not unusual for this type of event.

A giant step forward for the study of small asteroids

This phenomenon has made it possible to considerably advance the study of small asteroids, rarely detected before their impact. To date, astronomers have identified only ten asteroids before they enter the Earth's atmosphere, including three in 2024 according to Livescience. These objects, often considered harmless due to their size, generally go unnoticed.

For the first time, researchers were able to compare data collected by telescopes and meteor cameras. This double observation made it possible to precisely characterize the chemical composition and structure of 2022 WJ1.

The analysis revealed a surface rich in silicates, confirming that this meteorite shares characteristics with much larger asteroids. This information is valuable for anticipating the behavior of similar asteroids as they enter the atmosphere.

Towards better monitoring of celestial objects

The explosion of 2022 WJ1 thus highlights the constant progress in the detection of small asteroids. Although similar objects enter the Earth's atmosphere daily, very few are ultimately detected in time to be studied. Additionally, detection tools, like those used for 2022 WJ1, demonstrate the increasing effectiveness of observation systems.

The researchers hope that this methodology will in the future allow us to better understand these celestial objects, whether small or large.