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Meteor over Russia! (pictures)

It's just like an alien invasion movie: amazing video scenes capture a meteor streaking to Earth some 900 miles east of Moscow.

Jon Skillings
Jon Skillings is an editorial director at CNET, where he's worked since 2000. A born browser of dictionaries, he honed his language skills as a US Army linguist (Polish and German) before diving into editing for tech publications -- including at PC Week and the IDG News Service -- back when the web was just getting under way, and even a little before. For CNET, he's written on topics from GPS, AI and 5G to James Bond, aircraft, astronauts, brass instruments and music streaming services.
Jon Skillings
Meteor_01.JPG
1 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

Streaking meteor

While you were waiting for asteroid 2012 DA14 to pass by Earth, a little bit of outer space actually came down to the ground. Reports out of Russia today tell of a meteor (or maybe meteors, plural?) swooping out of the sky, and there's plenty of smartphone video documenting the event.

The video scenes look uncannily like something out of an alien invasion movie. Then again, what if it were an actual alien invasion...?

Meteor_02a.JPG
2 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

Unsuspecting drivers

According to the latest news reports, Russian emergency officials say the meteor exploding mid-air damaged buildings about 900 miles east of Moscow. Apparently, hundreds were injured, mostly by glass from windows breaking in a shock wave. This video still shows a city intersection seconds before the meteor passes by....
Meteor_02.JPG
3 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

Bright light!

...and here's that same intersection as the meteor lights up the scene.
Meteor_03.JPG
4 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

Look, up in the sky

The meteor approaches.
Meteor_03a.JPG
5 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

A meteor shoots by

And there it goes.
Meteor_04.JPG
6 of 6 Screenshot by CNET

An eerie glow

That's not your typical morning glare.

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