BREAKING! Small asteroid to hit Earth’s atmosphere TODAY

04.09.2024 15:30

Earthsky.org

View larger. | Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids that could potentially hit us at some point, or at least come very close, as in this artist’s illustration. Astronomers search for them, and track them. Today (September 4, 2024) – just hours ago – an astronomer in Arizona discovered a small asteroid that will strike Earth’s atmosphere later today. Image via urikyo33/ Pixabay.

Small asteroid to hit us

Heads up! A small asteroid – approximately 1 meter (3 feet) wide – will strike Earth’s atmosphere today (September 4, 2024) over the Philippines around 16:46 UTC according to the European Space Agency. That’s after midnight tonight in the Philippines. And it’s 11:46 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, September 4, for us in North America. The asteroid is expected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere above the area of Luzon. It’s expected to create a bright fireball for anyone watching! If you’re in the Philippines, go outside and look around 12:46 a.m. PHST on Thursday, September 5.

This is only the 9th time we’ve spotted an asteroid before it’s struck us. And it was Jacqueline Fazekas at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona who discovered this asteroid just hours ago. Jacqueline discovered the object about eight hours before its predicted impact. The asteroid has been given the provisional designation CAQTDL2.

A small asteroid, just discovered hours ago, will strike Earth’s atmosphere above the Philippines around 16:46 UTC on September 4. Image via ESA.

?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 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 see or record the event, send your observations to the International Meteor Organization here.

Bottom line: A small asteroid will harmlessly hit Earth’s atmosphere above the northern Philippines around 16:46 UTC on September 4, 2024.

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