Asteroid 2024 RW1 Just Hit Earth. That's a Good Thing.

On September 4, researcher Jacqueline Fazekas discovered a small asteroid, later named 2024 RW1, moving in a suspicious arc across the sky. She submitted her observations to the Minor Planet Center, which is available to the public and constantly updated. Other astronomers quickly began observing the asteroid as well. The asteroid was estimated to be only three to five feet long and posed no threat to Earth. It burned up in the atmosphere over Luzon Island in the Philippines, creating a beautiful, blue-green fiery streak. Small asteroids frequently hit Earth, but spotting them in advance is difficult. 2024 RW1 was the ninth Earthbound asteroid identified before impact, and its detection eight hours before it exploded over the Philippines means that if it had been dangerous, people could have been alerted to take cover, potentially saving lives. Planetary defense involves both offense, such as NASA's DART mission, and detection, with NASA and ESA focusing on finding larger "city killer" asteroids and smaller, hazardous ones. The successful detection of 2024 RW1, despite its small size, gives confidence that smaller, dangerous asteroids can be found in time to protect cities.