A Surprise Asteroid Lit Up the Sky Over the Philippines
With all of humanity’s telescopic eyes on the sky, it’s rare for an asteroid to take us by surprise. But that’s what happened this morning in the sky over the Philippines. Only hours after it was detected, it burned up in a bright flash above the island of Luzon.
NASA’s Catalina Sky Survey detected the small asteroid, now named 2024 RW1, only hours before it reached Earth’s atmosphere. It was only about one meter in diameter and posed no threat. Even though reports say it “struck the Earth,” in reality, it only struck the atmosphere, where objects that small burn up.
A video captured from the northern tip of the Philippines shows a flashing fireball partly obscured by clouds. The asteroid briefly created a tail, which disappeared quickly.
??????? ?? ?????, ???????? ???? ???! ??
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? ?
— ScienceKonek (@sciencekonek) September 4, 2024
This is only the ninth time that we’ve detected an asteroid before it reached Earth, though the European Space Agency says that a one-meter asteroid hits the Earth every two weeks.
![](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Asteroid_danger_explained-1024x726.jpg)
Being taken by surprise by an asteroid is an unusual feeling. But though it was a surprise, it was detected before it reached us. We can take comfort that our automated sky surveys detected such a small object. If it was large enough to cause any amount of damage, it would’ve been brighter and we’d have detected it much sooner.
Though this one was no danger, that’s not always the case. In 2013, the 18-ton near-Earth asteroid called the Chelyabinsk meteor exploded over the Russian city. It created extensive ground damage and caused almost 1500 people to seek medical assistance, though nobody was killed.
![](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/russia2_384621c.jpg)
Earth has suffered much more catastrophic impacts than that throughout its history, and that spectre haunts our civilization. The Chicxululb impact caused a mass extinction and ended the dinosaurs. The Vredefort Crater in South Africa was excavated two billion years ago by an impactor between 10 to 15 km in diameter.
But it’s not just an asteroid’s size that’s the problem. They strike Earth with great velocity. The ESA says that 2024 RW1 was travelling at 17.6 kilometres per second, or 63,360 kilometres per hour, which is the average speed for these objects.
Both NASA and the ESA actively search for and catalogue the asteroid population. NASA also invites experts to take part in regular mock exercises. In these exercises, teams of people are fed regular fabricated updates on the approach of a dangerous asteroid and asked to take whatever actions they see fit.
2024 RW1 was no threat. In fact, it’s a beautiful, natural spectacle.
But it’s also a reminder that Earth isn’t isolated from the cosmos, though in day-to-day life, it can seem like it is.
The post A Surprise Asteroid Lit Up the Sky Over the Philippines appeared first on Universe Today.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/168358/a-surprise-asteroid-lit-up-the-sky-over-the-philippines/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex
HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary new Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula.
This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting.
Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link, or the Banner Below.
Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...
It’s OXYGENATED
It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH
Preservative and Chemical Free
Allergen Free
Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source
Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals
Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents
Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons
Is a Full Spectrum Complex
Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.
Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
![Report abuse](/img/report_abuse.png)