World Asteroid Day is observed every year on June 30 to mark a powerful cosmic event. On this day in 1908, an asteroid exploded over Siberia’s Tunguska region. The blast flattened 2,000 square kilometres of forest an area the size of a large city. Scientists estimate the explosion released energy equal to 185 Hiroshima bombs.
The Tunguska event went largely unnoticed at first because of the area’s remote location. No scientific team reached the site until 1927. When they did, they found scorched trees, signs of a shockwave, and clear evidence of a high-energy impact.
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly officially declared June 30 as International Asteroid Day. The resolution (A/RES/71/90) came after a proposal by the Association of Space Explorers and support from the UN’s Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
This Day raises awareness of the risks asteroids pose to Earth. It encourages space agencies to invest in detection systems, tracking networks, and defence strategies. The goal is simple to prevent a future impact.
The year 2029 has been named the International Year of Asteroid Awareness. That is when asteroid 99942 Apophis will fly by Earth at just 32,000 kilometres closer than some satellites. Apophis, about 340 meters wide, will be visible to the naked eye from parts of Europe, Africa, and Western Asia.
This rare event offers scientists a golden chance to study its behavior and plan for future risks.
NASA has already taken action. In 2022, it launched the DART mission, which successfully altered the path of a small asteroid by crashing a spacecraft into it. The test proved that the deflection is possible and essential.
As World Asteroid Day reminds us, space threats are real – but so is our ability to fight back.
Let’s celebrate the science and stay prepared for the skies. Happy Asteroid Day!
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