Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 11:47AM
Drew Wolfe
Scientists Trace Orgin of Destructive Russian Meteor

"Scientists from Colombia believe they have pinpointed the origin of the giant  meteor that smashed into a remote region of Russia earlier this month, injuring more than 1,000 people."

"Using some of the dozens, if not hundreds, of videos that captured the once-in-a-century event, the scientists have calculated the Chelyabinsk meteor's trajectory, tracing it back to a group of Earth-crossing objects known as Apollo asteroids. Unlike objects in the Asteroid Belt, which orbit between Mars and Jupiter, Apollos sideswipe Earth's orbit, posing a risk of collision. According to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, more than 4,800 Apollo "close approachers" have been identified to date."

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