# An iron asteroid that passed through the atmosphere on a grazing path and returned to space.

> Disputed: An iron asteroid that passed through the atmosphere on a grazing path and returned to space.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/answers/ANS0D4ECE627XBC/an-iron-asteroid-that-passed-through-the-atmosphere-on-a  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[1908 Tunguska event](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event)[What kind of body, if any, caused the Tunguska explosion?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECARP6DFM/what-kind-of-body-if-any-caused-the-tunguska-explosion)Answer

Answer · 1908 Tunguska event

# An iron asteroid that passed through the atmosphere on a grazing path and returned to space.

An iron asteroid that passed through the atmosphere on a grazing path and returned to space.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** One piece of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- No fragments or debris on the ground.
- The shock wave's geometry fits a near-horizontal passage at 10–15 km.

## What would rule it out

- A trajectory inclination well above grazing, as the tree fall suggests, or debris on the ground.

## Evidence 1 for · 1 against

[Modelling shows 50–200 m iron bodies can survive a grazing passage and exit.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECEDW6ER1/modelling-shows-50200-m-iron-bodies-can-survive-a-grazing)

Speculative

FOR

[Tree-fall modelling favours inclinations of about 30–45°, not a grazing path.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECENP2P7T/tree-fall-modelling-favours-inclinations-of-about-3045-not-a)

Supported

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[What kind of body, if any, caused the Tunguska explosion?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECARP6DFM/what-kind-of-body-if-any-caused-the-tunguska-explosion)

Most likelyA stony asteroid some 50–80 m across that broke up and exploded about 8.5 km up

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). An iron asteroid that passed through the atmosphere on a grazing path and returned to space. [Answer ANS0D4ECE627XBC]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D4ECE627XBC
```

Key

**ANS** 0D4ECE627XBC

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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