Superbolide

Meteorite falls are always in the bolide or superbolide category. Nevertheless, it is not true that the brighter the bolide, the larger the meteorite.

On February 15, 2013, many on Earth were watching for news of the approach of an asteroid labeled 2012 DA14. Suddenly, those watchers – and millions of others around the globe – were startled by news of a superbolide, or super bright meteor, above the region of Chelyabinsk in Russia.

In February 15, 2013, a superbolide meteor (brighter than the Sun) entered Earth’s atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia, and exploded at an altitude of 23.5 km. Eyewitnesses could feel the intense heat from the fireball, and the blast wave from the explosion blew out windows in buildings.