“Kimi No Na Wa vibes.”
Some Filipinos were treated to a dazzling display of the entrance of a roughly one-meter asteroid into the Earth’s atmosphere past midnight on Thursday, September 5.
Science organizations posted videos of Pinoys who witnessed a small asteroid, named 2024 RW1, temporarily lit up the evening sky over parts of Cagayan province hours after it was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey.
The asteroid “burned up harmlessly in Earth’s atmosphere,” according to Space.com.
The European Space Agency said it was only the “ninth asteroid that humankind has ever spotted before impact.”
⚠️☄️Incoming!
A roughly 1 metre asteroid will strike Earth’s atmosphere over the Philippines near Luzon Island at 17:08 UTC today, 4 September.
The object is harmless, but people in the area may see a spectacular fireball!
Discovered this morning by the Catalina Sky Survey,… pic.twitter.com/UjQLbh3fFr
— European Space Agency (@esa) September 4, 2024
USA’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration had predicted that the impact could create a fireball visible from the east coast of the Philippines.
Minutes after midnight, some residents in Cagayan reported seeing a bright green fireball over the black sky as the asteroid entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Some of them captured the one-off moment on their phones, which were shared by science organizations Earth Saker Philippines and ScienceKonek.
Angelo Simon from Ilagan City, Isabela shared a video taken at 12:39 a.m. on Thursday.
☄️WATCH: Nasilayan ang pagpasok ng maliit na asteroid 2024 RW1 sa Earth’s atmosphere kaninang 12:39 AM PhST (5 Sept 2024), at nagliwanag sa kalangitan bilang maliwanag na bulalakaw o “fireball”. Kuha ni Angelo Simon mula sa Ilagan City, Isabela.#Asteroid #Philippines pic.twitter.com/mw4wDxVwet
— Earth Shaker PH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2024
Jonathan Galamay from Tuguegarao City in Cagayan also captured the moment at 12:40 a.m. on the same day.
WELCOME TO EARTH, ASTEROID 2024 RW1!☄️🤩
Nasilayan din sa Tuguegarao City, Cagayan ang pagpasok ng Asteroid 2024 RW1 sa ating atmosphere kaninang ~ 12:40 AM. Kuha ni Jonathan Galamay. #Asteroid #2024RW1 #Philippines #AstroShaker pic.twitter.com/quBuEQFImR
— Earth Shaker PH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2024
Angel Lazo-Cajucom from Tuguegarao City likewise recorded the event around 12:39 a.m.
𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗥𝗪𝟭 𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀!
Here’s another glimpse from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, of the bright ‘fireball’ caused by the burn-up of asteroid 2024 RW1 (#CAQTDL2) as it blazed through Earth’s atmosphere near Cagayan, Philippines, around 12:39… pic.twitter.com/XhR7GnW5HS
— ScienceKonek (@sciencekonek) September 4, 2024
Jomar Malubay of Luna, Apayao was able to capture a photo of the asteroid’s entry at 12:40 a.m.
“One in a million shot” ☄️🤩
Nakuhanan ang Asteroid 2024 RW1 sa Luna, Apayao, kaninang 12:40 AM PhST, ni Jomar Malubay. Pumasok ang maliit na asteroid sa Earth’s atmosphere at nag-produce ng maliwanag na bulalakaw o fireball. #Asteroid #CAQTDL2 #AstroShaker #Philippines pic.twitter.com/MbkFdA4xvT
— Earth Shaker PH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2024
Mikyla Zipagan Lumauig recorded another perspective from Tuguegarao City at the same time.
FIREBALL: ASTEROID 2024 RW1☄️
Nakuhanan sa Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, ang pagpasok ng Asteroid 2024 RW1(#CAQTDL2) kaninang ~12:40 AM PhST.
📷: Mikyla Zipagan Lumauig#AstroShaker #Asteroid #Philippines@AsteroidWatch @NASA @esa pic.twitter.com/ecW4R2iXSd
— Earth Shaker PH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2024
Valiant Aniñon from the town of Lal-lo in Cagayan also shared a clear shot of the asteroid “burning bright into a greenish ‘fireball'” over their area.
𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛, 𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗜𝗗 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗥𝗪𝟭! ☄️
Here’s a clear shot of the much-awaited small asteroid 2024 RW1 (#CAQTDL2) burning bright into a greenish ‘fireball’ over Lal-lo, Cagayan around 12:39 AM PhST, 05 September 2024. Did you see it too? 😊
— ScienceKonek (@sciencekonek) September 4, 2024
Karen Bea from Santa Ana, Cagayan also shared pictures and a clip of the phenomenon, saying it was “pretty.”
Facebook user Paul Chester Saycon also compiled clips of the asteroid witnessed by those in the Northern Philippines.
There were also Pinoys who witnessed the asteroid from Calabarzon. Among these was Zean Del Rosario, who shared a video taken from Laguna.
ASTEROID ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY AS SEEN FROM LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES
Nasilayan ang pagpasok ng asteroid 2024 RW1 sa Earth’s atmosphere at nagliwanag sa kalangitan bilang maliwanag na bulalakaw o “fireball”. Kuha ni Zean Del Rosario kaninang 12:39 AM PhST. #AstroShaker #Asteroid pic.twitter.com/3rC5SKN3Jb
— Earth Shaker PH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2024
The phenomenon prompted some Filipinos to remember the popular Japanese animated film “Kimi No Na Wa” or “Your Name,” in which a dazzling comet appears in the sky and breaks into two.
The comet strike is also central to the story’s plot, which focuses on its impact on a rural town where the female protagonist lives.
“Your Name?” a Pinoy commented on a Facebook post about Asteroid 2024 RW1.
“Mala-Kimi No Na Wa,” another user wrote.
Others shared GIFs featuring the particular scene from the Japanese film.
Reports said the comet strike in the film was inspired by the Great Eastern Earthquake that struck Japan in 2011.
Meanwhile, experts said that two to three objects the size of Asteroid 2024 RW1 strike the Earth yearly.