Newly Discovered Asteroid Lights Up Philippines' Sky in a Rare Green Fireball
On September 4, astronomers made a remarkable discovery when they spotted a previously unknown asteroid, designated 2024 RW1, just eight hours before it entered Earth's atmosphere. The small, 3-foot-wide (1 meter) space rock disintegrated as it approached, producing a spectacular green fireball that illuminated the skies above the Philippines before exploding.
The asteroid, discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey, a NASA-funded project at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, was determined to be "harmless" by the European Space Agency (ESA). They predicted that it would burn up upon entry, creating a bright meteor visible to those nearby—a forecast that came true with striking accuracy.
At approximately 12:46 p.m. ET (0:46 a.m. local time on Sept. 5), the asteroid entered the Earth's atmosphere over the western Pacific Ocean, near Luzon Island in the Philippines. As it broke apart, the asteroid emitted a bright green light—likely due to its high magnesium content—that could be seen from up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) away. This rare celestial event was captured by some local observers who were alerted in advance, resulting in stunning photos and videos.
This rare incident adds to a small but growing list of asteroids that have been detected just hours before impacting Earth's atmosphere. The last such event occurred on January 21, when an asteroid named 2024 BX1, also detected just hours before impact, exploded above Berlin. It became notable for being the fastest-spinning asteroid ever recorded.
These rare, early detections highlight the ongoing efforts by astronomers and scientists to monitor near-Earth objects, ensuring that even harmless encounters can be witnessed and studied.