World Asteroid Day 2020: Meaning, significance, and history

World Asteroid Day is observed on June 30 of every year. day is an anniversary to remember 'Tunguska event' in Siberia. On June 30, 1908, a huge explosion was heard in morning sky over  Podkamennaya Tunguska River, located in Siberia, Russia. day is since n kwn as Tunguska event and it is said to be largest asteroid impact on Earth. 

This year will mark 6th anniversary of World Asteroid day. trition started in 2016 and this year international day would be conducted as an online event. People from around world can access  Asteroid Day Live show which would live stream from Luxembourg on Asteroid Day TV. astromy lovers can even check  Asteroid Day website for more details. This year, day will be marked with an online presentation with experts, panel discussions would also take place, and people who want to join event can do so from ir YouTube channel or through Asteroid day website for question-and-answer sessions. 

This year coincidentally asteroid is reported to be flying near Earth on June 30. However, re are events of asteroids named 2020 JX1 and 2019 AC3 that would make close approaches near Earth on June 29 and July 1 respectively. 

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World Asteroid Day meaning

World Asteroid Day is observed to create global awareness about impact of asteroids on Earth. Many events are organised around world to educate people about se planetary bodies. Asteroids are small, rocky, metallic planetary bodies that orbit around sun. y are mostly found between Mars and Jupiter while ors have different orbits.

Im courtesy: Родион Журавлёв from Pixabay 

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World Asteroid Day history

Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist and famous musician Dr Brian May of rock group Queen, along with Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, filmmaker Grig Richters, and B612 Foundation president Danica Remy. day was declared in year 2016 by UN under leership of Association of Explorers (ASE). 

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World Asteroid Day 2020

Every year day is celebrated with some cutting edge new research on asteroids and commemoration of  most ambitious missions. This year, topic for World Asteroid Day 2020 would include about rate of discoveries done with regards to asteroids over years, why re is a need for accelerated discoveries on asteroids, arrival of samples from asteroid Ryugu and Bennu, preparations for U.S.-Europe mission with regards to asteroid Didymos, and many more. It would be a 5-hour long online discussion program with panel discussions and individual interviews with astronauts tomorrow on June 30. event can be seen from Asteroid Day's YouTube channel or Asteroid Day website.

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