UrFU scientist spotted a bright bolide

15:40, February 26, 2016

Associate Professor of Ural Federal University Nikolay Kruglikov created the first Russian bolide network that allowed to fix the flight of a celestial body

The sector of possible meteorite fall is marked on the map with a divergent sector. The area of the most intense pouring is the most possible location. The red line shows the most probable trajectory. The gray line in the center is the direction to the stop point. The lines at the sides limit the camera's field of view

The scientists of Ural Federal University continues to work on studies of meteorites: Associate Professor of UrFU Institute of Physics and Technology Nikolay Kruglikov established the first Fireball Network in Russia. It is a network of several observation photo and video cameras which capture the phenomena occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. The results of observations allow scientists to determine the speed, trajectory and geometry of extraterrestrial matter leakage field by the methods of celestial mechanics and physics.

Now scientists are testing UrFU network, however they already was lucky to spot a bolide.

"On February 17, 2016 at 2 am the system recorded bright fireball, which flew to the east of Ekateribnurg in the direction of the village Bulanash. The span of the bolide could result in loss of the meteorite in the district of Artemovsky, - says Associate Professor of UrFU Institute of Physics and Technology Nikolai Kruglik. - The map, which shows the most probable trajectory of the bolide."

The plans of UrFU scientists are to find meteor caught in the camera of the bolide network and deliver it to the Scientific and Educational Center "Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies" for detailed study.

One of network cameras is located in Kourovka Astronomical Observatory of Ural Federal University. Two cameras are placed at the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and implement monitoring of the horizon to the east direction.

According to the scientist, it plans to further expand the network through the installation of new cameras, including those in other cities, the use of photos and videos submitted by witnesses and cooperation with the community of amateur astronomers, as well as the launch of a specialized Internet service. The scientists also reached an agreement on the new possible camera locations – the camera covering the entire visible range of sky will be created in Kourovka astronomical observatory. At the same time the specialists of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory construct the camera, which will start functioning soon.

Ural Federal University is one of the leading universities in Russia founded in 1920. UrFU is located in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Ural region, an economic, industrial, scientific and cultural center of Russia. The university is the project office of the Ural Interregional Research and Education Center "Advanced Industrial Technologies and Materials" designed for solving tasks of "Science" National Project.