An asteroid known as 2014 RC was due to skim past our planet over the weekend. But instead of passing by in the distance, it’s believed part of the rock fell to earth in Nicaragua creating a gigantic crater.
The BBC reports that a meteorite landed close to the Nicaraguan capital of Managua on Sunday, around the same time that the asteroid passed by. The impact is said to have “caused an explosion and earth tremor, leaving a crater 12m across and 5m deep near the city’s airport.” Experts tell the news organisation that the rock that fell to Earth likely came from the asteroid.
It’s no Chelyabinsk. But given that NASA previously explained that the asteroid would “safely pass very close to Earth”, then if the meteor is from the asteroid it didn’t quite do its sums perfectly. [BBC]