By Brian Campued
A small, “harmless” asteroid hit the Earth’s atmosphere early Thursday morning, creating a fireball that was seen over northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
The one-meter-wide asteroid, 2024 RW1, lit up Luzon skies around 12:39 a.m.
“Discovered this morning by the Catalina Sky Survey, this is just the ninth asteroid that humankind has ever spotted before impact,” the European Space Agency (ESA) likewise said in a post on X.
The International Meteor Organization (IMO) also reported the discovery of 2024 RW1 hours before it struck Earth.
According to PAGASA, the discovery of the asteroid showcased “the growing capabilities of planetary defense efforts.”
Despite the inclement weather brought by Severe Tropical Storm Enteng and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat, netizens still posted videos of the celestial event on social media. – iro