World Asteroid Day 2020: Meaning, significance, and history

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

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

This year coincidentally no asteroid is reported to be flying near Earth on June 30. However, there 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 the impact of asteroids on Earth. Many events are organised around the world to educate people about these planetary bodies. Asteroids are small, rocky, metallic planetary bodies that orbit around the sun. They are mostly found between Mars and Jupiter while others have different orbits.

Image 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 the rock group Queen, along with Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, filmmaker Grig Richters, and B612 Foundation president Danica Remy. The day was declared in the year 2016 by the UN under the leadership of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE). 

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World Asteroid Day 2020

Every year the day is celebrated with some cutting edge new research on asteroids and the commemoration of the most ambitious space missions. This year, the topic for World Asteroid Day 2020 would include about the rate of discoveries done with regards to asteroids over the years, why there is a need for accelerated discoveries on asteroids, the 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. The event can be seen from Asteroid Day's YouTube channel or Asteroid Day website.

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