Summary

2022 EB5 was the fifth object to be detected before impacting the Earth. The meteoroid was discovered at Konkoly Observatory (Hungary) on 11 March 2022 and impacted the atmosphere over the Norwegian Sea two hours later.

Discovery circumstances and follow-up

2022 EB5 was the first imminent impactor discovered by an observer in Europe. The object was first detected by Krisztián Sárneczky from Piszkéstető, Hungary, at 19:24 UTC on 11 March 2022. The observer promptly followed-up the object, submitting near-immediate follow-up to the MPC that ensured the identification of the new discovery as an imminent impactor. 

Over the next two hours various stations in Europe and Asia reported follow-up observations. Together with the near-continuous follow-up by the discoverer, they allowed an extremely accurate determination of the impact point, which happened only 2 hours after discovery and roughly 100 km South of the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. 

Trajectory in Space

In the video below, the vernal equinox is to the right, while the view is tilted 45 degrees to the ecliptic.

2D Impact Corridor

The plot below shows the entry point at an altitude of 100 km above the sea level.

3D Impact Corridor

The highlighted area in the animation below represents the 1-σ (in red) and the 3-σ (in orange) fall area of the propagated object without including the atmospheric effects.

Atmospheric Phase Details

Probably due to low-altitude clouds no visual evidence has arrived from Iceland, nor from the nearby Norwegian island. Some cameras on Jan Mayen island recorded the flash of the light from the incoming object though. Additionally, the impact was detected by the international network of infrasound detectors, suggesting an energy release equivalent to 2 to 3 kt of TNT. In comparison to the optical observations (a metre-size impactors), the estimated diameter was higher (3-4 metres), likely due to the measurement uncertainties in both detection techniques.  

Search for Meteorites

No meteorites could be recovered due to the impact happening over deep oceanic waters.