World Asteroid Day is celebrated every year on 30 June. The purpose of this day is to make people aware of asteroids and the potentially dangerous situations associated with them. This day is dedicated to educating the general public about space science, the risk of asteroid collisions, and the need for space monitoring.
History And Objective
The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized World Asteroid Day in 2016. The date of June 30 was chosen because on this day in 1908, a large asteroid exploded in the Tunguska region of Russia, destroying about 2,000 square kilometers of forest.
This day was started on the initiative of renowned scientist and Queen band guitarist Dr. Brian May, film director Gregg Richter, and many astronauts and researchers.
The main objective of this day is to inform people about the scientific and astronomical importance of asteroids, as well as to explain why it is important to identify and monitor celestial bodies (NEOs) coming near the Earth. It also highlights the planetary protection missions run by space agencies like NASA, ESA.
Scientific Viewpoint
The study of asteroids gives scientists insight into the early solar system, as they contain many ancient elements that are billions of years old. Apart from this, the timely identification of dangerous asteroids can also be done to prevent their collision, which can save the Earth.
On this day, various space agencies, educational institutions, and science centers around the world organize online seminars, lectures, educational workshops, etc. Experts highlight missions like NASA’s DART mission and ESA’s Hera mission, which focus on techniques to deflect asteroids.
World Asteroid Day 2025 is a reminder of how vulnerable our Earth can be to threats from space, and how important continuous scientific efforts, observations, and global collaboration are to keep it safe.
