Harmless asteroid is headed toward Earth

Published Tuesday, October 7, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - A small asteroid was headed for a fiery but harmless dive into Earth’s atmosphere early this morning over Africa, astronomers said in a first-of-its-kind advance warning.

Harvard scientists announced late yesterday afternoon that the asteroid 2008 TC3 would burn up in the sky, making a fireball potentially visible to people in northern Africa. Measuring between 3 feet and 15 feet in diameter, the rock was expected to enter Earth’s atmosphere above Sudan just before dawn in Africa.

Harvard astronomer Tim Spahr said the asteroid was so small it wouldn’t reach the ground before burning up and wouldn’t hurt anyone, but the fireball should be seen heading from west to east.

This object was spotted by an Arizona telescope late Sunday and calculated yesterday to be heading toward Earth. Astronomers don’t know precisely how big it is or what it is made of, but they know that it is small enough that it will burn up harmlessly. As it enters the atmosphere becoming a meteor, it compresses the air in front of it, which then gets hotter, causing a fireworks display.