Tiny 2026 RW1 becomes 13th asteroid spotted before Earth impact

Asteroid 2026 RW1, a small Aten-type near-Earth object estimated at 0.6–1.3 m, was first observed by the Mt. Lemmon Survey and, after about 7 hours 22 minutes of tracking, entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia on Sept. 6, 2026. ESA classified it as the 13th predicted Earth impactor, using its Meerkat system to test trajectories from a short observation arc; the object burned up on entry, making meteorite recovery unlikely.