A small asteroid, identified as 2024 RW1, was observed entering Earth’s atmosphere over Luzon in the early hours of Thursday.
The European Space Agency (ESA) had previously stated that the asteroid would burn up upon entering the atmosphere, with its expected impact time at approximately 12:46 a.m.
The asteroid, discovered two weeks ago by the Catalina Sky Survey, measured about three feet in size. It briefly illuminated the night sky as it fell, resembling a meteor.
Asteroid 2024 RW1 is the ninth recorded asteroid to be detected before making impact with Earth. The Catalina Sky Survey, a program focused on discovering and tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs), first spotted the asteroid, and it has since been monitored by global space agencies, including ESA and NASA.
The Catalina Sky Survey is operated by the University of Arizona and funded by NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO). The program aims to detect asteroids and comets that may pose a threat to Earth.