2023 CX1
{{short description|2023 meteoroid}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{mp|2023 CX|1}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox planet
| minorplanet = yes
| name = {{mp|2023 CX|1}}
| background = #FFC2E0
| image = Sar2667 as it entered Earth's atmosphere over the north of France.jpg
| image_scale =
| caption = Photograph of {{mp|2023 CX|1}} as it entered Earth's atmosphere over northern France on 13 February 2023
| discoverer = Krisztián Sárneczky
| discovery_site = Piszkéstető Stn.
| discovered = 12 February 2023
| mpc_name = {{mp|2023 CX|1}}
| alt_names = Sar2667
| pronounced =
| named_after =
| mp_category = {{nowrap|NEO{{·}}Apollo}}
| epoch = 1 January 2023 (JD 2459945.5)
| observation_arc = 6.57 hours (0.27 d)
| earliest_precovery_date =
| aphelion = 2.337 AU
| perihelion = 0.921 AU
| time_periastron = 13 February 2021
| semimajor = 1.629 AU
| eccentricity = 0.4346
| period = 2.08 yr (760 days)
| mean_anomaly = 325.105°
| mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.4738840|sup=ms}} / day
| inclination = 3.419°
| asc_node = 323.870°
| arg_peri = 218.790°
| moid = {{convert|0.000111|AU|km LD|lk=on|abbr=on}}
| jupiter_moid =
| mean_diameter = ≈ {{val|1|u=m}}
| density =
| rotation =
| albedo =
| spectral_type =
| abs_magnitude = {{val|32.645|0.512}}
32.76
}}
{{mp|2023 CX|1}}, initially known under temporary designation Sar2667, was a metre-sized asteroid or meteoroid that entered Earth's atmosphere on 13 February 2023 02:59 UTC and disintegrated as a meteor over the coast of Normandy, France along the English Channel. It was discovered less than seven hours before impact, by Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky at Konkoly Observatory's Piszkéstető Station in the Mátra Mountains, Hungary. {{mp|2023 CX|1}} is the seventh asteroid discovered before impacting Earth and successfully predicted, and the third of those for which meteorites have been recovered. Before it impacted, {{mp|2023 CX|1}} was a near-Earth asteroid on an Earth-crossing Apollo-type orbit.
Discovery
During a routine search for near-Earth objects with his {{convert|0.6|m|cm ft in|adj=on|0}} Schmidt telescope, Krisztián Sárneczky first imaged {{mp|2023 CX|1}} on 12 February 2023 at 20:18:07 UTC, when it was already less than {{cvt|233000|km|mi}} from Earth and inside the orbit of the Moon at 0.61 lunar distances. At discovery, the asteroid had an apparent magnitude of 19.4 and moved quickly in the northern hemisphere sky, at an angular rate of 14 arcseconds per minute and a radial velocity of {{cvt|9|km/s|mi/s}} towards Earth. Sárneczky immediately recognized it was a near-Earth object, but only realized it was on course for impact with Earth when he reobserved it half an hour later. Sárneczky gave the object the temporary designation Sar2667 and reported the discovery to the Minor Planet Center's (MPC's) Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page at 20:49 UTC, calling for further follow-up from other observatories around the world. Astronomers at Višnjan Observatory in Tičan, Croatia observed the asteroid starting at 21:03 UTC and confirmed that it was headed for impact with Earth.
The European Space Agency took notice of the asteroid's impending impact and alerted the public through social media. Astronomers around the world continuously observed the asteroid to refine its trajectory as it approached Earth and its impact location. The asteroid reached a peak brightness of magnitude 13 (about the brightness of Pluto) right before it entered Earth's shadow at around 02:50 UTC. It then faded dramatically and became invisible until impact. The asteroid was last observed on 13 February 2023 02:52:07 UTC by Jost Jahn at the SATINO Remote Observatory in Haute Provence, France, just two minutes after it entered Earth's shadow and seven minutes before it impacted. At the time of that last observation, the asteroid had faded from magnitude 13 to 16 and moved extremely quickly at an angular rate of 1.7 degrees per minute, at a distance of approximately {{cvt|11100|km|mi}} from Earth's center ({{cvt|4700|km|mi|disp=or}} altitude{{efn|name=altitude|Altitude is the difference between the geocentric distance and Earth's radius of {{cvt|6371|km|mi}}.}}).
On 13 February 2023 04:13 UTC (one hour after the impact), MPC gave the asteroid its official minor planet provisional designation {{mp|2023 CX|1}}. At least 20 observatories observed {{mp|2023 CX|1}} and submitted astrometry to the MPC before impact, with over 300 astrometric positions recorded in total.
Impact
File:2023 CX1 ground track UKMON.png and ending at the coast of Normandy, France to the east.]]
At 02:59:21 UTC (local time 03:59:21 CET), {{mp|2023 CX|1}} entered the atmosphere at a velocity of {{cvt|14.5|km/s|mi/s}} with an inclination 40–50° relative to the vertical. As the meteoroid travelled eastward over the English Channel to the coast of Normandy, France, it experienced significant atmospheric drag and began burning up as a bright meteor at an altitude of {{cvt|89|km|mi}}. It was seen by witnesses from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany. The meteor began fragmenting at an altitude of {{cvt|29|km|mi}} and then completely broke apart at {{cvt|28|km|mi}}, producing a bright flash due to the rapid vaporization of its fragments. In the process, the meteor released a great amount of kinetic energy. That produced a shock wave, which was heard by some witnesses and was detected by French seismographs. The meteor disappeared at an altitude of {{cvt|20|km|mi}}, after which its resulting meteorites continued falling in dark flight. Over 80 witness reports of the meteor were submitted to the International Meteor Organization (IMO).
File:Meteorite Saint-Pierre-le-Viger Loïs Leblanc-Rappe MNHN Minéralogie.jpg
Upon breakup, {{mp|2023 CX|1}} dropped meteorites over the Normandy region and produced a strewn field spanning from Dieppe to Doudeville. Guided by Peter Jenniskens, researchers and citizen scientists of the Fireball Recovery and Interplanetary Observation Network (FRIPON) immediately began a coordinated search effort in the expected meteorite fall area. On 15 February 2023 15:47 UTC (local time 16:47 CET), FRIPON member and art student Loïs Leblanc found the first meteorite of {{mp|2023 CX|1}} in a field in the commune of Saint-Pierre-le-Viger. The meteorite weighed about {{cvt|95|g|oz}} and is described as a "dark stone." Late in the afternoon of the next day, Peter Jenniskens found a 3 g meteorite near the small-size end of the strewn field that confirmed the predicted center line. By March 2023, over 20 additional meteorites were recovered, with masses ranging {{cvt|2 to 350|g|oz|1}}. The IMO estimates that {{mp|2023 CX|1}} could have dropped only one large meteorite up to ~{{cvt|2|kg|lbs|0}} in mass, plus an uncertain number of smaller meteorites up to several tens of grams each. The largest meteorite is expected to have landed near the commune of Vénestanville.
{{mp|2023 CX|1}} is the seventh asteroid discovered before being successfully predicted to impact Earth, and also the third whose meteorites were collected after its predicted impact. It is Sárneczky's second discovery of an impacting asteroid, after {{mpl|2022 EB|5}} which he discovered a year prior in March 2022.
Orbit
Prior to impact, {{mp|2023 CX|1}} was on an Apollo-type orbit that crossed the orbits of Earth and Mars. It orbited the Sun at an average distance of {{convert|1.63|AU|e6km e6mi|lk=in|abbr=out}}, varying from 0.92 AU at perihelion to 2.34 AU at aphelion due to its eccentric orbit. The orbit had a low inclination of 3.4° with respect to the ecliptic and an orbital period of 2.08 years. The asteroid last passed perihelion on 13 February 2021 and impacted Earth before it was set to make its next perihelion on 15 March 2023.
The last time {{mp|2023 CX|1}} made a close approach to Earth was around 7 (± 1) June 2000, when it passed around {{convert|150–161|LD|e6km e6mi|lk=in|abbr=unit}} from the planet. Before that, {{mp|2023 CX|1}} had made several distant close approaches with Earth and Mars during the 1900s, though it probably never approached within {{convert|10|LD|e6km e6mi|abbr=unit}} from these planets.
See also
- Impact event
- Asteroid impact prediction
- {{mpl|2022 WJ|1}}, the sixth asteroid discovered before being successfully predicted to impact Earth
- {{mpl|2024 RW|1}}
- 2024 UQ
- Meteorite fall
- {{mpl|2008 TC|3}}, the first asteroid to have its meteorites collected after its predicted impact with Earth
- 2018 LA, the second asteroid to have its meteorites collected after its predicted impact with Earth
- {{mpl|2024 BX|1}}
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
|type = 2023-02-13 last obs.
|title = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2023 CX1)
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=54341522&view=OPC
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = 2023 CX1
|url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2023+CX1
|publisher = Minor Planet Center
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = MPEC 2023-C103 : 2023 CX1
|url = https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K23/K23CA3.html
|work = Minor Planet Electronic Circular
|publisher = Minor Planet Center
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Small asteroid impacts Earth's atmosphere over France
|url = https://earthsky.org/space/small-asteroid-impact-near-france-english-channel/
|first = Kelly Kizer |last = Whitt
|work = EarthSky
|date = 15 February 2023
|accessdate = 15 February 2023}}
|title = Imminent asteroid entry over the Channel on Feb.13, 02h59 UT
|url = https://www.imo.net/imminent-asteroid-entry-over-the-channel/
|first = Karl |last = Antier
|publisher = International Meteor Organization
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = 2023 CX1 : 7th predicted Earth impact!
|url = https://www.imo.net/2023-cx1-7th-predicted-earth-impact/
|first = Karl |last = Antier
|publisher = International Meteor Organization
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Fireball Events in 2023 → 937-2023
|url = https://fireball.imo.net/members/imo_view/event/2023/937
|publisher = International Meteor Organization
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Falling asteroid sparks brilliant fireball over Europe just hours after discovery (video)
|url = https://www.space.com/fireball-europe-found-hours-before-reaching-earth
|first = Elizabeth |last = Howell
|website = Space.com
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Pictures from space! Our image of the day
|url = https://www.space.com/34-image-day.html
|website = Space.com
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Seventh shooting star ever spotted before strike
|url = https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2023/02/Seventh_shooting_star_ever_spotted_before_strike
|publisher = European Space Agency
|date = 13 February 2023
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Pluie de pierres en Normandie!
|url = https://www.vigie-ciel.org/2023/02/14/4964/
|first = Asma |last = Steinhausser
|publisher = FRIPON/Vigie-Ciel
|date = 14 February 2023
|accessdate = 15 February 2023
|language = fr}}
|title = The atmospheric trajectory of 2023 CX1 and the possible meteorite strewn field
|url = https://www.imo.net/the-atmospheric-trajectory-of-2023-cx1-and-the-possible-meteorite-strewn-field/
|first1 = Jiří |last1 = Borovička
|first2 = Pavel |last2 = Spurný
|publisher = International Meteor Organization
|date = 15 February 2023
|accessdate = 15 February 2023}}
|title = Une météorite normande issue de 2023 CX1 retrouvée!
|url = https://www.vigie-ciel.org/2023/02/15/une-meteorite-normande-issue-de-2023-cx1-retrouvee/
|first = Karl |last = Antier
|publisher = FRIPON/Vigie-Ciel
|date = 15 February 2023
|accessdate = 15 February 2023
|language = fr}}
|title = Small Asteroid Spotted Hours Before Demise
|url = https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/small-asteroid-spotted-hours-before-demise/
|first = David |last = Dickinson
|work = Sky & Telescope
|date = 17 February 2023
|accessdate = 19 February 2023}}
|title = CBET 5230 : 2023 CX_1
|url = http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/005200/CBET005230.txt
|first = Daniel W. E. |last = Green
|journal = Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
|publisher = Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
|date = 6 March 2023
|issue = 5230
|accessdate = 18 February 2024}}
|title = Horizons Batch showing epoch 2023-Jan-01
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272023+CX1%27&TABLE_TYPE=%27ELEMENTS%27&START_TIME=%272023-01-01%27&STOP_TIME=%272023-01-02%27&STEP_SIZE=%274%20months%27&CENTER=%27@Sun%27&OUT_UNITS=%27AU-D%27
|work = JPL Horizons
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Horizons Batch from 2023-Feb-12 20:18 and 2023-Feb-13 03:00
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272023+CX1%27&START_TIME=%272023-02-12%2020:18%27&STOP_TIME=%272023-02-13%2003:00%27&STEP_SIZE=%271%20minute%27&QUANTITIES=%271,9,20,39,47%27
|work = JPL Horizons
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
|title = Horizons Batch on 2023-Feb-13 02:52:07
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272023+CX1%27&START_TIME=%272023-02-13%2002:52:07%27&STOP_TIME=%272023-02-13%2002:53:00%27&STEP_SIZE=%271%20minute%27&QUANTITIES=%271,9,20,39,47%27
|work = JPL Horizons
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|accessdate = 14 February 2023}}
|type = Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive
|title = Perihelion @ 0.922 AU on 13 Feb 2021
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272023+CX1%27&START_TIME=%272021-Feb-12%27&STOP_TIME=%272021-Feb-14%27&STEP_SIZE=%273%20hours%27&QUANTITIES=%2719%27
|work = JPL Horizons
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|accessdate = 13 February 2023}}
}}
External links
- {{NeoDys|2023+CX1}}
- {{ESA-SSA|2023CX1}}
- {{JPL small body|id=54341522}}
- Scout archive for [https://archive.today/20230212215920/https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/scout/%23/object/Sar2667 Sar2667]
{{2023 in space}}
{{Modern impact events}}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2023 CX}}
Category:Minor planet object articles (unnumbered)
Category:Predicted impact events
Category:February 2023 in France