Small Asteroid Set to Burn Up in Earth’s Atmosphere Over Philippines
A small asteroid, about 3 feet in diameter, is expected to burn up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere over the Philippines near Luzon Island today.
The event is anticipated to occur at 12:46 p.m. ET (4:46 p.m. UTC), according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
The asteroid, identified as CAQTDL2 by the Catalina Sky Survey earlier today, is expected to disintegrate completely during its atmospheric entry. Asteroids of this size, which impact Earth roughly every two weeks, are typically not detected before they hit the planet. This asteroid is only the ninth instance of such an early detection, ESA reported.
The object’s small size means it poses no risk to people on the ground. However, observers in the affected region might witness a spectacular fireball as the asteroid burns up. Cloud cover from Typhoon Yagi, which is currently impacting the northern Philippines, could potentially obscure visibility of the fireball.
Typhoon Yagi, recently upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane, is situated about 250 miles west of Luzon Island. Its presence may make it difficult to view the asteroid event.
The asteroid’s entry into the atmosphere follows a report from the Labor Department revealing a decline in job openings and dovish remarks from Federal Reserve officials. While the asteroid is unlikely to cause any damage, its approach underscores the increasing capability of survey systems to detect such objects in advance.
Past significant asteroid impacts, such as the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia, highlight the potential risks of larger space rocks. However, current detection systems are improving, providing scientists with better tools to track and predict these events.
With input from CNN, Independent and the Daily Mail.
