The world recognizes June 30 as International Asteroid Day or World Asteroid Day. The day is dedicated to the Tunguska incident that took place in 1908 in Siberia, Russia. A huge asteroid explosion that occurred in 1908 destroyed 2,150 square kilometers of Siberian forests.
The goal of International Asteroid Day is to educate people around the world about asteroids. The day also aims to enlighten individuals about the potentially catastrophic consequences of an asteroid’s impact on the planet. International Asteroid Day is celebrated globally by all member states of the United Nations.
The day calls on global governments to create strategies to manage a disaster similar to the Tunguska event in the future.
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World Asteroid Day 2023: History
In 2014, World Asteroid Day was launched. The aim then is to inform the public about potential asteroid threats to Earth.
A major event, the Chelyabinsk meteor event, occurred in 2013. This event helped shape the concept of International Asteroid Day. The very next year, a group of prominent dignitaries, including Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, physicist Stephen Hawking, B612 Foundation President Danica Remy, director Grigori Richters and astrophysicist Brian May , came up with the idea of International Asteroid Day.
The United Nations officially recognized June 30 as Asteroid Day in a 2016 resolution.
World Asteroid Day 2023: Key Details
Date: June 30
Year of establishment: 2015
Adopted by the United Nations: 2016
Goal: Spread awareness about asteroids. Make a plan to protect the Earth from possible asteroid impacts.
World Asteroid Day 2023: Meaning
International Asteroid Day or World Asteroid Day serves as an annual reminder of how asteroids can have a potentially dangerous impact on our planet. The day highlights incidents like the Chelyabinsk events of 2013 and the Tunguska events of 1908, and reminds the world of the devastating impact of those events.
The goal of World Asteroid Day is to raise awareness of the potential damage that asteroids can do to life and resources on Earth. The day calls on global governments to take action to devise plans to protect the planet from the potential negative effects of asteroids on Earth.
Asteroid Day 2023: Types of Asteroids and Related Facts
There are three main types of asteroids. They are type C, type S and type M.
asteroid type C
.These are the most common types of asteroids. They make up about 75% of all known asteroids in the Solar System.
Facts about C .-type asteroids
- There are many C-type asteroids in the Solar System. Of all the asteroids, type C is the most abundant.
- It is one of the oldest celestial bodies in our solar system.
- They have the same spectral classification as carbonaceous meteorites.
- They are among the darkest of all celestial bodies in terms of color.
- Class C asteroids look like coal. This is due to the high carbon concentration.
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Asteroid type
This type of asteroid is the second most found asteroid in our solar system. S-type asteroids are rocky mineral bodies.
Facts about S-type asteroids
- S-type asteroids make up some of the largest asteroids ever found.
- 7 Iris is the brightest S-type asteroid. It is one of the brightest asteroids ever found.
- Many S-type asteroids have the same spectral characteristics and composition as those found in certain meteorites.
- S-type asteroids make up about 17% of all known asteroids in our solar system.
US-type asteroid
The third most common type of asteroid in the solar system is the M-type asteroid. However, not much is known about these asteroids.
Facts about US-type asteroids
- Many M-type asteroids are composed of nickel and iron.
- These asteroids typically have albedo between 0.1 and 0.2. These are moderately bright asteroids
- They are among the least studied groups of asteroids.
- It is located in the middle of the asteroid belt where M-type asteroids are found.
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Source: vcmp.edu.vn