Small asteroid hit over the Philippines on September 5

Here’s how Asteroid RW1 looks like from Gonzaga, Cagayan, Philippines. Best shot so far!! ? pic.twitter.com/eYgQsHqxFP

— Raymon Dullana (@raymongdullana) September 4, 2024

Click on the video above to watch the asteroid’s fiery entry into our atmosphere and hear the excited witnesses.

No damage as small asteroid strikes Earth’s atmosphere

A small asteroid – approximately 3 feet (1 meter) wide – struck Earth’s atmosphere at around 12:39 a.m. PHST Thursday, September 5, 2024 (16:39 UTC on September 4, 2024) over Lal-lo, Cayagan, in the Philippines.

The International Astronomical Union designated the object 2024 RW1. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office reported the strike via X.com.

This asteroid, which safely impacted Earth's atmosphere earlier today, was designated 2024 RW1.

To learn more about #planetarydefense at NASA, visit: https://t.co/ocUZAjvrlE

— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) September 4, 2024

An alert was issued by the European Space Agency well before the object arrived. The asteroid, as expected, burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. And it created a dazzling green fireball as it fell. But there’s a possibility some meteorites may have made it to the ground.

Videos of the event are spectacular

Hundreds of Filipinos – alerted to the asteroid’s impending arrival – waited and watched the skies. And many captured the streaming fireball as it passed overhead … then exploded!

??????? ?? ?????, ???????? ???? ???! ??

Here's a clear shot of the much-awaited small asteroid 2024 RW1 (#CAQTDL2) burning bright into a greenish 'fireball' over Lal-lo, Cagayan around 12:39 AM PhST, 05 September 2024. Did you see it too? ?

?… pic.twitter.com/B3oAm6nNdD

— ScienceKonek (@sciencekonek) September 4, 2024

Asteroid 2024 RW1 !pic.twitter.com/cR3Y7Xm1D3

— ?? (@wandershy_) September 4, 2024

2024 RW1 seen from Ballesteros, Cagayan, Philippines.

Copyright to the owner
?: Emmanuel Unite#Asteroid#2024RW1 pic.twitter.com/8fsRItkZWS

— Tony (@Lewls_T) September 4, 2024

Finding small asteroids before they hit is rare

This is only the 9th time we’ve spotted an asteroid before it struck us. And it was Jacqueline Fazekas at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona who discovered this asteroid just about eight hours before impact. The asteroid had the provisional designation CAQTDL2. It has since been renamed 2024 RW1.

?UPDATE: We expect the ~1 m asteroid discovered this morning to strike Earth's atmosphere over the Philippines near Luzon Island at 16:46 UTC today.

However the nearby tropical storm Yagi/Enteng will make fireball observations difficult.

Stay safe everyone! https://t.co/SwzByqOlgp pic.twitter.com/GrMxi6MaNc

— European Space Agency (@esa) September 4, 2024

Why the discovery of a small asteroid is a good thing

Here’s the good news! We’re getting better at spotting asteroids before they hit us. Here was a discovery that caused a stir in March 2022 before it hit hours later. And here’s another example from earlier this year.

This detection is actually great news! This is only the ninth time that humankind has discovered an asteroid before it impacts us and is a sign of our improving planetary defence capabilities.

Take a look at this graphic: https://t.co/jNz2KNE7tb

And find out more about the…

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) September 4, 2024

The International Meteor Organization said:

… the main highlights will be a major fireball and potential meteorites recoveries, but this remain a dramatic and scienitifcally valuable event.

If you saw or recorded the event, send your observations to the International Meteor Organization here.

Bottom line: A small asteroid harmlessly hit Earth’s atmosphere above the northern Philippines around 16:39 UTC on September 5, 2024. Here are the amazing videos people in the area recorded.