Russian Meteor Explosion - What We Know Now

No, Meteorologists don't study meteors. However, in times like this when a meteor impacts the earth, we are usually called upon to shed light on the scientific specifics. Here is what we know: * This was a random event * According to the European Space Angency, there is no relation to the asteroid expected to pass within the orbits of geostationary satellites later Friday. * The Russian meteor was moving between roughly 20-30,000 mph and exploded at an altitude of 30,000 feet about 930 miles east of Moscow. * Its initial size is estimated to be around 10 tons. * The damage was caused by the shock wave from the blast NOT its impact with the ground. This pressure pulse (sonic boom) caused windows and doors to blow out. Security camera video shows this perfectly. * After the blast, pieces of the main meteor rained down damaging roofs to buildings. The size of those smaller pieces isn't know yet. Meteor explosions in the atmosphere are not uncommon. Most of the time, these meteors explode or fall into the ocean. Remember that the earth is 75% water. Meteors this size (10 tons) are not as common. GREAT VIDEO COMPILATION of the meteor event. We will know more information about this event by the end of the day.