The results suggest the meteor belongs to a well known family of space rocks - known as the Apollo asteroids - that cross Earth's orbit.

BBC: Russia meteor's origin tracked down

"It certainly looks like it was a member of the Apollo class of asteroids, " he told BBC News.

BBC: Russia meteor's origin tracked down

It was the Apollo group of asteroids, which circle the sun in oblong orbits, that occasionally cross Earth's.

CNN: Planet of sound: Meteor blast resonated around Earth

Asteroids are divided into different groups such as Apollo, Aten, or Amor, based on the type of orbit they have.

BBC: Russia meteor's origin tracked down