Asteroid CAQTDL2 is about to hit Earth – but don’t worry, it is only small

Astronomers have just discovered that an asteroid is about to strike Earth at thousands of kilometres per hour, impacting just east of the Philippines and most likely in the sea. Thankfully, the relatively small object poses no harm and will burn up in the atmosphere in a fireball.

The asteroid, which is estimated to be roughly 1 metre across, was spotted earlier today by the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey and given the designation CAQTDL2. It is due to strike Earth at around 1645 GMT, or 1745 London…