A stunning green fireball with an orange tail lit up the skies over Luzon Island in the Philippines on Wednesday afternoon, captivating onlookers and spreading quickly across social media. The bright celestial display was caused by a minor asteroid, about the size of a meter, entering Earth’s atmosphere and burning up in a brilliant flare.
NASA confirmed that the asteroid, named 2024 RW1, was detected by astronomers in Arizona just a few hours before it entered Earth’s atmosphere. The space rock broke apart upon entry, producing a spectacular light show that was visible from the east coast of the Philippines.
This is only the ninth time an asteroid has been detected prior to impact, according to the European Space Agency. The detection highlights the growing capability of astronomers to identify near-Earth objects before they pose any threat.
Captured on camera and shared online, the event showed a green fireball with an orange trail streaking through the sky, briefly illuminating the clouds before disappearing. Videos of the fireball quickly went viral, sparking widespread interest among space enthusiasts.
NASA’s Asteroid Watch had predicted that the asteroid would be visible as a fireball over the region, and sensors confirmed the impact. The quick detection and tracking of 2024 RW1 have further fueled public curiosity about near-Earth objects and planetary defense efforts.
