International Asteroid Day 2024: Date, history, significance

International Asteroid Day 2024: The universe is full of surprises, and asteroids are one of them. They are neither planets nor comets. Asteroids are objects, either metallic, or icy bodies, or rocks that spin the orbit within an inner solar system. Asteroids do not have an atmosphere of their own and they vary in shape and sizes as well. Sometimes, an asteroid can be as small as a small rubble pile to as big as a dwarf planet with 1000 kilometres of diameter. However, asteroids can cause severe damage if they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Creating awareness about asteroid impact and how hazardous it can get is essential. To make people understand, International Asteroid Day is observed every year.

As we gear up to observe the important day, here are a few things to keep in mind.

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International Asteroid Day 2024: Date

Every year, International Asteroid Day is observed on June 30. This year, International Asteroid Day falls on Sunday.

International Asteroid Day 2024: History

In 1908, the asteroid event also known as the Tunguska Event occurred in a Siberian desert area; the area is now referred to as Krasnoyarsk Krai. The asteroid did not leave any impact crater – it is believed to have disintegrated after entering the earth’s surface. The eyewitnesses confirmed the phenomenon, and this event is referred to as one of the largest asteroid impacts recorded in human history. Stephen Hawking, along with a few other people, including an Apollo 9 astronaut and Brian May, the guitarist for Queen and also an astrophysicist, founded International Asteroid Day. In 2014, the day was officially launched. In 2016, the United Nations announced the day to be celebrated every year.

International Asteroid Day 2024: Significance

June 30 was chosen as the day to celebrate International Asteroid Day to commemorate the Tunguska Event. The best way to observe the day is by learning more about asteroids, understanding how they can impact us, and becoming more interested in asteroid events.