Moment asteroid hits Earth’s atmosphere like a ball of fire

On Wednesday, Earth was hit by an asteroid that looked like a fireball as it passed over the Philippines.

Locals watched in amazement as the space rock shot through the atmosphere at 63,000 kilometers per hour, breaking apart before reaching the ground.

Images of the event show asteroid 2024 RW1 shining brighter than the moon over the island of Luzon at 12:46 a.m. local time.

The asteroid was first spotted just eight hours before it entered the atmosphere, making it only the ninth object to be accurately observed before hitting Earth.

The asteroid (pictured) was discovered eight hours before it was due to hit Earth. This is the ninth time an object has been accurately detected before it enters the atmosphere.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has renamed the three-foot-wide asteroid 2024 RW1, after provisionally designating it as CAQTDL2.

“Thanks to new observations, we now have a very good idea of ​​where the object will impact,” ESA said in the two hours before the object’s appearance, adding: “Welcome to Earth, asteroid 2024 RW1.”

People speculated that despite its small size, the asteroid would still put on a “nice light show,” while others praised scientists’ ability to predict where and when an asteroid would hit.

Many people complained on X that they didn’t see anything or that it looked like a flash of lightning. One person wrote: ‘I hope someone can capture the ‘fireball’ on video.’

‘Waited for the asteroid, sat on top of our folding ladder to get a better view of the sky… and I didn’t see an asteroid. Just bats.’

However, other users began posting photos and videos of the asteroid within 20 minutes of its entry into the atmosphere.

Viewers posted videos on X of what they claimed was the 2024 RW1 asteroid as it flew across the sky looking like a fireball

More and more videos came in of X as the bright asteroid shot out of the sky, with one person calling it “the best photo yet!” from Gonzaga, Cagayan, Philippines.

One person placed a video of the object, with the caption: ‘A faint flash is seen in the sky in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila as #Asteroid 2024 RW1 (#CAQTDL2) enters the atmosphere.’

Before the sky survey, scientists assured that the asteroid, due to its small size, would not cause any damage in the event of an impact.

According to a 2017 study, only asteroids with a diameter of at least 18 meters are potentially deadly if they fly toward Earth.

The asteroid struck east of the Philippines at approximately 12:45 EST on Wednesday

The early detection of the approaching asteroid is unique, as very few have been seen before they enter Earth’s atmosphere. Still, experts say it could be a sign of things to come.

“The really positive thing about this is that the survey telescopes are now good enough to detect these approaching objects and give us a warning,” Fitzsimmons told New Scientist.

This means that if a large space rock were to hit the planet and pose a danger to humans, scientists would have ample time to warn people to leave the area.

“This is actually a really nice demonstration that the current measurement systems are doing a really good job,” Fitzsimmons continues.

‘We estimate that on average one small asteroid is now detected each year before it hits the atmosphere. And the measurement methods are only getting better.’

The ESA added in its message that “this detection is actually great news! This is … a sign of our improving planetary defence capabilities.”