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A small asteroid, approximately one meter in diameter, is set to collide with Earth today, according to astronomers. However, it is expected to completely disintegrate in the atmosphere upon entry, posing no threat to those on the ground. The event is likely to be visible as a bright fireball streaking through the sky.
The Catalina Sky Survey detected this asteroid earlier today and has tracked its trajectory toward Earth. The asteroid, designated as 2024 RW1, formerly known as CAQTDL2, will make its appearance over the Western Pacific near Luzon Island in the Philippines around 6:08 PM UK time, astronomers predict.
The European Space Agency has provided a precise location forecast for the asteroid’s atmospheric entry but noted that visibility could be impaired by a nearby tropical storm. This marks only the ninth occasion that an asteroid has been detected prior to impact with Earth.
While the majority of space debris entering Earth’s atmosphere is too small to reach the surface or pose significant risks, some incidents, such as the Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013, have caused considerable damage. In response to potential threats from larger celestial objects, space agencies are exploring technologies to deflect asteroids on a collision course with Earth, though challenges remain in ensuring such strategies would be effective in an actual threat scenario.