Rare Asteroid Phenomenon: Fireball Lights Up Philippine Skies

A one-meter asteroid, 2024 RW1, created a stunning fireball display over the Philippines, with residents in Cagayan Province witnessing the rare event. The Catalina Sky Survey detected the asteroid just hours before its entry into Earth's atmosphere, reassuring NASA, ESA, and the International Meteor Organization of its harmlessness.

This ninth-ever pre-impact asteroid sighting highlights the significance of early detection through survey telescopes, emphasizing the protective role of Earth's atmosphere against such celestial objects. The populace's swift documentation of the event underscores the infrequency of such bright fireballs, typically unseen due to occurring over oceans.