Art by Gary Hanna 

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Attack from Outer Space

In 2013, a huge fireball exploded above a Russian city. More than 1,600 people were injured. No one saw it coming. Could it happen again?

Copyright M. Ahmetvaleev_ESA via NASA

ZOOM!  
Many people in Chelyabinsk took photos of the fireball with cell phone cameras. 

Before You Read: Check out our Background Builder slideshow

 

Jim McMahon/Mapman ®

Where in the World?  
This map shows the location of the Chelyabinsk meteor event in Russia.

    As the sun rises, the people of Chelyabinsk [CHEL-yah-binsk], Russia, are starting their morning. It’s February 15, 2013—just a normal day. Families eat breakfast. Parents head to work. Children go to school. 

    But for the 1.1 million people who live in Chelyabinsk, it won’t turn out to be an ordinary day. A space rock is headed straight for their busy city. It’s 65 feet across—about as wide as your school gym. And nobody has any idea.

    This rock has been circling our planet for thousands of years. Finally, this morning, it enters the atmosphere. As it zooms toward Earth, the rock gets hotter and hotter. It travels at 40,000 miles per hour. Soon, it’s only about 15 miles above the city, and . . . 

    POOF! 

    It explodes. 

    It’s February 15, 2013. The people of Chelyabinsk [CHEL-yah-binsk], Russia, are starting their morning. It’s a normal day. Families eat breakfast. Parents head to work. Kids go to school. 

    But for the people of Chelyabinsk, it won’t turn out to be a normal day. A space rock is headed straight for their city. It’s 65 feet across—about as wide as your school gym. And no one knows it’s coming.

    The rock has been circling Earth for thousands of years. This morning, it enters the atmosphere. As it zooms toward Earth, the rock gets hotter and hotter. It travels at  40,000 miles per hour. Soon, it’s only about  15 miles above the city, and . . .

    POOF!

    It explodes.

    As the sun rises, the people of Chelyabinsk [CHEL-yah-binsk], Russia, are starting their morning. It’s February 15, 2013—just a regular day. Families eat breakfast. Parents head to work, and children go to school. 

    But for the 1.1 million people who live in Chelyabinsk, it won’t turn out to be an ordinary day. A space rock is headed straight for their bustling city. It’s 65 feet across—about as wide as your school gymnasium—and nobody knows it’s coming.

    This rock has been circling our planet for thousands of years. Finally, this morning, it enters the atmosphere. As it barrels toward Earth at 40,000 miles per hour, the rock becomes hotter and hotter. Soon, it’s only about 15 miles above the city, and . . .

    POOF!

    It explodes.

A Huge Fireball

    At that moment, the people of Chelyabinsk look up. They’re puzzled. A huge fireball streaks across the blue-pink morning sky. Then it disappears. A trail of smoke is left behind. Some people run outdoors for a better look. Others pull their cars over to gaze at the sky.

    What was that? Was it a plane crash? 

    Was it aliens? 

    Two long minutes pass, and then . . . 

    BOOM! SMASH!

    The full force of the explosion finally reaches Earth. It feels like a bomb. Walls fall down. People are knocked to the ground. Windows shatter. In an instant, 1,600 people are injured. 

    They are lucky. It could have been worse. 

    The people of Chelyabinsk look up. They’re puzzled. A huge fireball streaks across the sky. Then it’s gone. It leaves a trail of smoke. Some people run outdoors for a better look. Others pull their cars over to gaze at the sky.

    What was that? Was it a plane crash?

    Was it aliens?

    Two minutes go by. Then . . .

    BOOM! SMASH!

    The full force of the explosion reaches Earth. It feels like a bomb. Walls fall down. People are knocked to the ground. Windows shatter. In an instant, 1,600 people are injured.

    They’re lucky. It could have been worse. 

    At that moment, the people of Chelyabinsk look up in surprise and confusion. A massive fireball streaks across the blue-pink morning sky. Then it vanishes, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Some people hurry outdoors for a better look. Others pull their cars over to gaze at the sky.

    What was that? Was it a plane crash?

    Was it aliens?

    Two long minutes pass, and then . . .

    BOOM! SMASH!

    The full force of the explosion finally reaches Earth. It feels like a bomb. Walls fall down, people are knocked to the ground, and windows shatter. In an instant, 1,600 people are injured.

    They’re lucky—it could have been considerably worse. 

The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images (Lake); Tkachenko Andrey/Reuters (Meteor)

BOOM!  
A meteorite crashed into a frozen lake and left a large hole (top photo). The rock was later pulled from the bottom of the lake and put in a museum in Chelyabinsk. It weighs more than 1,400 pounds.

Rocks From the Sky

    Do you ever look up and see a shooting star? It’s beautiful, but don’t let the name confuse you. A shooting star is not really a star. It’s a meteor. A meteor is a space rock burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. As it burns, it creates a stream of light.

    Our solar system has millions of rocks. There are large space rocks called asteroids. There are smaller space rocks called meteoroids. There are comets, which are part dust and part ice. 

    Very large, very bright meteors—like the one in Chelyabinsk—are called fireballs. Any meteors that make it to Earth’s surface are called meteorites. (To better understand these differences, look at the infographic below.)

    Have you ever seen a shooting star? Don’t let the name fool you. A shooting star isn’t really a star. It’s a meteor. A meteor is a space rock burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. As it burns, it creates a stream of light.

    Our solar system has millions of rocks. There are large space rocks called asteroids. There are smaller ones called meteoroids. There are comets, which are part dust and part ice.

    Very large, very bright meteors—like the one in Chelyabinsk—are called fireballs. Any meteors that reach Earth’s surface are called meteorites. (To better understand these differences, look at the infographic below.)

    Have you ever looked up and seen a shooting star? It’s beautiful, but the name can be misleading. A shooting star isn’t really a star. It’s actually a meteor—a space rock burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. As it burns, it creates a stream of light.

    Our solar system contains millions of rocks. There are large space rocks called asteroids, and there are smaller space rocks called meteoroids. There are comets, which are part dust and part ice.

    Very large, very bright meteors—like the one in Chelyabinsk—are called fireballs. Any meteors that make it to Earth’s surface are called meteorites. (For a better understanding of these differences, look at the infographic below.)

Blocking the Sun 

    Space rocks are leftovers from when the planets of our solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The rocks move around the sun in circles called orbits. Sometimes they knock into each other, bouncing around like bumper cars. 

    Each day, tons of debris from these rocks travels toward Earth. Most of it burns up in the atmosphere without causing any harm. But if an asteroid larger than a mile across were to hit Earth, it would be a disaster. 

    How do we know?

    Sixty-six million years ago, a large meteor crashed into Earth off the coast of what is now Mexico. It was about 6 miles wide. Scientists believe dust clouds from the explosion blocked the sun’s light and warmth. 

    This caused plants and animals to die all over the world. It’s also likely why dinosaurs became extinct. Could it happen again?

    Space rocks are left over from when the planets of our solar system formed billions of years ago. The rocks move around the sun in circles called orbits. Sometimes they bump into each other and bounce around.

    Every day, tons of debris from these rocks travels toward Earth. Most of it burns up in the atmosphere and does no harm. But if an asteroid larger than a mile across were to hit Earth, it would be a disaster.

    How do we know?

    Sixty-six million years ago, a meteor hit Earth near what is now Mexico. It was about 6 miles wide. Experts say dust clouds from the explosion blocked the sun’s light and warmth.

    This caused plants and animals to die all over the world. It’s probably why dinosaurs became extinct. Could it happen again?

    Space rocks are leftovers from when the planets of our solar system formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The rocks move around the sun in circles called orbits. Sometimes they knock into each other, bouncing around like bumper cars.

    Each day, tons of debris from these rocks travels toward Earth. Most of it burns up in the atmosphere without causing any harm—but if an asteroid larger than a mile across were to hit Earth, it would be a disaster.

    How do we know?

    Sixty-six million years ago, a large meteor—roughly 6 miles wide—crashed into Earth off the coast of what is now Mexico. Scientists believe dust clouds from the explosion blocked the sun’s light and warmth.

    This caused plants and animals to die all over the world, and it’s probably the reason dinosaurs became extinct. Could it happen again?

Another Close Call

    Before Chelyabinsk, the last time a meteor caused serious damage was in 1908. Strangely, it was also in Russia. A man named S.B. Semenov was sitting on his porch. Suddenly, the sky lit up, and he was knocked to the ground. Later he said the heat “almost burned the shirt off me.” 

    Semenov was more than 40 miles away from Tunguska, where the space rock hit. Still, he felt its power. 

    The Tunguska meteor was much bigger than the one in Chelyabinsk. It was much closer to the ground too. The blast knocked down 80 million trees in a space that was more than twice the size of New York City. (Luckily, no one lived in this vast area of Russian wilderness.)

    Before Chelyabinsk, the last time a meteor caused serious damage was in 1908. It was in Russia too. A man named S.B. Semenov was sitting on his porch. Suddenly, the sky lit up. He was knocked to the ground. Later he said the heat “almost burned the shirt off me.”

    Semenov was more than 40 miles away from Tunguska, where the space rock hit. Still, he felt its power.

    The Tunguska meteor was bigger than the one in Chelyabinsk. It was closer to the ground too. The blast knocked down 80 million trees in a space more than twice the size of New York City. (Luckily, no one lived in this vast area of wilderness.)

    Before Chelyabinsk, the last time a meteor caused serious destruction was in 1908. Interestingly, it was also in Russia. As a man named S.B. Semenov was sitting on his porch, the sky suddenly lit up, and he was knocked to the ground. Later he reported that the heat “almost burned the shirt off me.”

    Although Semenov was more than 40 miles away from Tunguska, where the space rock hit, he still felt its extraordinary power.

    The Tunguska meteor was much larger, and also much closer to the ground, than the one in Chelyabinsk. The blast knocked down 80 million trees in a space more than twice the size of New York City. (Fortunately, no one lived in this vast area of Russian wilderness.)

INFOGRAPHIC: Know Your Space Rocks!

 Shutterstock.com

Outer Space

1- meteoroid is a smaller space rock that orbits the sun. It’s usually a piece of an asteroid that has broken off. 

2- An asteroid is a large space rock that orbits the sun.


Earth’s Atmosphere

3- comet also orbits the sun. But it’s not actually a rock—it’s made of dust and ice.

4- meteor is  a space rock that burns up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. It creates a stream of light.


Earth

5- meteorite is a space rock that has made it to Earth’s surface. 

Outer Space

1- meteoroid is a smaller space rock that orbits the sun. It’s usually a piece of an asteroid that has broken off. 

2- An asteroid is a large space rock that orbits the sun.


Earth’s Atmosphere

3- comet also orbits the sun. But it’s not actually a rock—it’s made of dust and ice.

4- meteor is  a space rock that burns up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. It creates a stream of light.


Earth

5- meteorite is a space rock that has made it to Earth’s surface. 

Outer Space

1- meteoroid is a smaller space rock that orbits the sun. It’s usually a piece of an asteroid that has broken off. 

2- An asteroid is a large space rock that orbits the sun.


Earth’s Atmosphere

3- comet also orbits the sun. But it’s not actually a rock—it’s made of dust and ice.

4- meteor is  a space rock that burns up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. It creates a stream of light.


Earth

5- meteorite is a space rock that has made it to Earth’s surface. 

We’re Not Alone

Andrei Romanov/STRINGER/REUTERS/Newscom

Tiny Space Rock, Big Bucks 
A man holds up a meteorite from Chelyabinsk. Even small pieces can be sold for thousands of dollars.

    Meteor events like Chelyabinsk and Tunguska are very rare. Very large asteroid events—like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs—are even rarer. They happen only once every 100 million years or so.

    Still, these space rocks help us remember something. We live on a planet that is flying through space. Objects are flying along with us too. Someday, those objects may put us in danger. But scientists around the world are working hard to keep us safe.

    Fortunately, no one in Chelyabinsk was killed. No one was seriously hurt, either. Afterward, many people in the area took up a new hobby: hunting for meteorites. Why? Even small pieces of a meteorite can be worth thousands of dollars. 

    If you were to see a meteorite, though, you probably wouldn’t think it was anything special. Most look an awful lot like boring black rocks. 

    You might even walk right by it. 

    Meteor events like Chelyabinsk and Tunguska are rare. Very large asteroid events—like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs—are even rarer. They happen only once every 100 million years or so.

    Still, these space rocks remind us of something. We live on a planet that is flying through space. Objects are flying along with us too. Someday, those objects may put us in danger. But experts are working to keep us safe.

    No one in Chelyabinsk was killed. No one was badly hurt. Afterward, many people in the area took up a new hobby: hunting for meteorites. Why? Even small pieces of a meteorite can be worth thousands of dollars.

    If you saw a meteorite, you might not know it. Most look like boring black rocks.

    You might walk right by it. 

    Meteor events like Chelyabinsk and Tunguska are extremely rare. Very large asteroid events like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs are even rarer—they happen only once every 100 million years or so.

    Still, these space rocks are an important reminder that we live on a planet that is flying through space, and other objects are flying along with us. Someday, those objects may threaten our safety—but scientists around the world are working hard to develop ways to protect us.

    Fortunately, no one in Chelyabinsk was killed or even seriously injured. Afterward, many people in the area took up a new hobby: hunting for meteorites. Why? Even small pieces of a meteorite can be worth thousands of dollars.

    If you were to see a meteorite, though, you probably wouldn’t think it was anything special. Most look an awful lot like boring black rocks.

    You might even walk right past it. 

ACTIVITY: 
Finding Text Evidence

You’ve just read “Attack From Outer Space.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

You’ve just read “Attack From Outer Space.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

You’ve just read “Attack From Outer Space.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

How many people were killed when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

Answer: No one was killed when the meteor hit Chelyabinsk.

How many people were killed when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

Answer: No one was killed when the meteor hit Chelyabinsk.

How many people were killed when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

Answer: No one was killed when the meteor hit Chelyabinsk.

How many people were seriously injured when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

How many people were seriously injured when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

How many people were seriously injured when the meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

Before 2013, when was the last time a meteor caused serious damage?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Another Close Call.”

Before 2013, when was the last time a meteor caused serious damage?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Another Close Call.”

Before 2013, when was the last time a meteor caused serious damage?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Another Close Call.”

How often do large asteroid events like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs happen? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

How often do large asteroid events like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs happen? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

How often do large asteroid events like the one that likely doomed the dinosaurs happen? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “We’re Not Alone.”

Think About It! What do your answers tell you about your chances of being badly hurt by a space rock?

Think About It! What do your answers tell you about your chances of being badly hurt by a space rock?

Think About It! What do your answers tell you about your chances of being badly hurt by a space rock?

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