On October 27, 2025, Moscow residents observed a bright flash in the sky, causing much discussion and speculation about the possibility of a meteorite fall. Later, experts from the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Institute of Space Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences noted that the American astronomical agency NASA had restricted access to information about the parameters of asteroid 2025 US6. It is thought that this asteroid may be linked to a recent outbreak recorded in Central Russia. What is known about the meteorite fall is in the document URA.RU.
Basketball size
The bright green fireball (large meteorite) was initially noticed by residents of Moscow and the Moscow region on the morning of October 27. Later, this astronomical phenomenon was reported by experts from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy (XRAS). According to their data, the object was clearly visible over a large area of the sky, and its size could range from 10 to 30 centimeters, equivalent to a basketball.
Cause of the glow in the sky
The cause of the glow, as astronomers explain, is most likely nickel, one of the main elements of metallic meteorites. However, a final conclusion about the nature of this phenomenon has not yet been made.
“It is still impossible to say with certainty whether it was an asteroid or a piece of space debris. The flare was unusually long – up to 25 seconds – and strongly fragmented, which is atypical for conventional stony or iron-nickel meteorites,” XRAS scientists said in their telegram.
Preliminary data about celestial bodies
According to preliminary calculations by the laboratory, the orbit of the celestial body passes from east to west north of Moscow, the distance to the object is from 450 to 500 km. The speed of the jet is between 14 and 30 km/s, more typical of asteroids, but the destructive dynamics are reminiscent of space debris.
XRAS recognizes that examining available information raises more questions than it answers. The laboratory believes that the data obtained may indicate a fundamental misjudgment of the fireball's altitude – perhaps it flew much higher (up to 500 km), or conversely, closer to the surface than expected. According to scientists, the possibility of large debris falling to Earth is almost eliminated.
Analysis of surveillance video and witness accounts continues. Experts from the RAS laboratory added that the vehicle's route, its parameters and properties can be clarified in the next 24 hours.
Asteroid data disappears from NASA database
After some time, RAS experts drew attention to the disappearance of data about asteroid 2025 US6 from NASA's open space catalog. According to experts, shortly before many records of fireballs appeared in the Russian sky, information about the orbit and characteristics of a small asteroid disappeared from the databases of NASA and the European Space Agency.
“Up until the time information about the fireball sighting in central Russia appeared, this information was present and in the public domain. Currently, information about the object is absent from both the JPL facility catalog and the European Space Agency's mirror,” the laboratory said in a statement.
What does China have to do with it?
They admitted that estimates of the body's size and origin could be adjusted after analyzing videos taken from various locations. At the same time, it is possible that according to the 2025 US6 index, the categories do not include a natural asteroid, but the Chinese spacecraft DRO-B, which, after an unsuccessful launch into lunar orbit in 2024, could be transferred to a retrograde orbit around the Earth and then enter the atmosphere. Scientists promise to draw a final conclusion about the nature of the object and the reasons for removing the information from the Western space catalog after completing all the necessary checks.
