GOVPH

On 5 September 2024, residents of Cagayan Province witnessed a spectacular fireball show despite the cloudy weather caused by Typhoon Enteng. The event was caused by the entry of asteroid 2024 RW1 into Earth's atmosphere at approximately 12:39 AM (PST). 

According to Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration’s (DOST-PAGASA) official Facebook page, the asteroid, measuring about 1 meter in size, produced a captivating fireball glow upon entering the atmosphere, with images and videos quickly spreading across various social media platforms.

Mr. Lordnico P. Mendoza, Weather Observer IV of DOST-PAGASA, explained during an interview that the presence of bright green and reddish-orange colors during the asteroid's entry into Earth's atmosphere indicates a composition primarily made up of Boron-Magnesium.

Exploring the expanding frontiers of planetary defense endeavors

According to DOST-PAGASA, the asteroid 2024 RW1 disintegrated in the atmosphere, making it the ninth time an asteroid was discovered before hitting Earth.

This event highlights the growing capabilities of NASA's Catalina Sky Survey (CSS), a NASA-funded observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The CSS uses telescopes and advanced software to identify, monitor the trajectory, and classify near-Earth objects, particularly those that could pose a potential hazard to our planet due to their large size. This effort is crucial in enhancing planetary defense and understanding such celestial objects.

The asteroid was discovered by Jacqueline Fazekas, a technologist at CSS Research, approximately 11 hours prior to its impact. 2024 RW1, originally known as CAQTDL2, was not the largest of the nine predicted asteroids, but it was the swiftest as it traveled through the atmosphere at a speed of 20.8 kilometers (12 miles) per second. The discovery of the small asteroid is a sign that Earth’s planetary defense programs are working as intended.

The Asteroid Watch team at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency predicted that the impact is harmless and might produce a bright fireball visible from the east coast of the Philippines. Moreover, the European Space Agency stated that the impact occurred at 12:39 p.m. ET (4:39 p.m. UTC) as posted on their official X account.

Asteroid advisory from both NASA and ESA on their official social media platforms.

The study of space objects is crucial for assessing the potential threat posed by fragments from fireball meteors impacting Earth.

In January 2024, scientists detected remnants of the Berlin fireball, determining that they came from a rare type of asteroid known as an aubrite, potentially dating back to the formation of the solar system. This asteroid caused a bright flash of light and loud explosive sounds over the Toronto, Ontario region of Canada. Additionally, in 2022, NASA's DART mission intentionally collided an impactor into a double asteroid system to change its trajectory.

NASA is gearing up to launch a new infrared telescope called the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor space telescope to improve space observation. Meanwhile, China has plans to conduct its own mission to redirect an asteroid by 2030.

According to Mr. Mendoza, the chances of finding surviving pieces from 2024 RW1, such as a meteorite or tektite, are minimal due to the absence of an observed meteorite crater, indicating that they may have descended into the ocean following the meteor's path.

Despite the fragile nature of the asteroid, its study has made significant contributions to the field of planetary protection. (By Mary Crystalline T. Araracap, DOST-STII)