Asteroid Day is an annual event observed on June 30th to raise awareness about asteroids, their potential impact hazards, and the importance of asteroid detection and mitigation efforts. The date of June 30th was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the Tunguska event, a powerful explosion caused by the airburst of a large asteroid or comet over Siberia, Russia, in 1908.
The goals of Asteroid Day include:
Public Awareness: Asteroid Day aims to inform the public about the existence of asteroids, their nature, and the potential impact risks they pose to Earth.
Scientific Research: The event encourages the advancement of scientific research related to asteroids, including their composition, orbits, and potential mitigation strategies.
Asteroid Detection: Efforts to detect and track near-Earth objects (NEOs) are critical for understanding their trajectories and assessing the risk of potential impacts. Asteroid Day emphasizes the importance of these detection efforts.
