Asteroid that struck Earth over Berlin last week could be very rare space rock

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Meteorite hunters have tracked down fragments from an asteroid that struck the Earth over Berlin last week and it seems to be “very rare.”

Fragments of the small asteroid dubbed 2024 BX1 burned up within the skies above Berlin right into a innocent fireball last Sunday merely two hours after it was found by astronomers.

Researchers and beginner scientists in search of remaining fragments of the space rock round Berlin discovered a few of them on Friday, with extra samples of the meteorite found over the weekend.

Experts, together with meteor scientist Peter Jenniskens, discovered the rock fragments to be “very rare” as they resemble rocks discovered on the Earth.

“The asteroid that made its impact near Berlin last Sunday has now been successfully recovered,” the seek for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) famous in an announcement.

“What we’re actually looking for was very different from what most people consider a meteorite. If you were walking through the fields and saw a rock like this, then you would pass by it,” Dr Jenniskens instructed Space.com.

Such space rocks, scientists stated, are “very rare” and make up just one per cent of all recognized meteorites, researchers say.

The space rock measuring about 1 m (3.3 ft) huge was found by Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky merely two to a few hours earlier than its impression, in accordance with the International Astronomical Union.

Nasa then confirmed the asteroid’s discovery about 20 minutes earlier than impression.

First recognized below its non permanent designation Sar2736, the asteroid measured a couple of meter huge and was captured on digicam because it appeared and disappeared within the skies above Berlin at about 00:33 UT.

Its sighting was uncommon since 99 per cent of near-Earth asteroids smaller than 30m (98 ft) throughout are but undiscovered, in accordance with astronomers.

Since its impression on 22 January, a devoted workforce of about 12-21 people, together with specialists and college students from the National History Museum, have been scouring the sector seeking small fragments, SETI stated.

The search nevertheless, proved difficult initially because the meteorites bore a hanging resemblance to widespread terrestrial rock.

A big fragment was first discovered on Thursday then two extra meteorites weighing 5.3g and three.1g respectively have been found.