Electronic Telegram No. 5746
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Mailing address:  Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA  02138; U.S.A.
e-mail:  cbatiau@eps.harvard.edu (alternate cbat@iau.org)
URL http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html
Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


2026 RW_1
     MPEC 2026-R64, issued on 2026 Sept. 6, reported the discovery and
astrometric observations of a near-earth object that was discovered via the
Catalina Sky survey at mag 19.2 on Sept. 6.4 UT and given the designation
2026 RW_1.  Rapid global follow-up enabled a precise prediction of the 
object's atmospheric entry at approximately 16:07 UTC on Sept. 6 over the 
Indian Ocean northwest of Australia.  Pre-discovery Pan-STARRS2 images 
obtained with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien reflector at Haleakala on 
Sept. 5.52-5.55 gave the magnitude as 20.4-21.0; peak astrometric brightness 
was given near mag 15 on Sept. 6.6 UT.  MPEC 2026-R134 reported apparent
ground-based photography of the resulting fireball from Broome, Western
Australia, by R. Yung at a time consistent with predictions (cf. website URL
https://gfo.rocks/blog/2026/06/09/2026-RW1_impact-confirmation.html).  No
other observations of this fireball are known at this time.  This would be
the twelfth known natural object to impact the earth's atmosphere after 
discovery by ground-based telescopes (cf. CBETs 5465, 5477).


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2026 CBAT
2026 September 23                (CBET 5746)              Daniel W. E. Green