It’s Been Proposed To Get Asteroid Day Established Annually On The 30th June
There is a movement by astronomers, scientists, astronauts, artists, business leaders, and others, concerned for the long term safety of our species, other species, and our planet, to get Asteroid Day established on the 30th June each year commencing in 2015.
“Asteroids could wipe out humanity,” warn Richard Dawkins and Brian Cox. — The Telegraph.
The 10,000th Near Earth Object (NEO) was discovered in 2013 and by 30th November 2014 11,937 NEOs had been discovered. More are being detected all the time and by 17th February 2021 the number had risen to 25,157. Still there are hundreds of thousands more undiscovered. When they are discovered their orbits can be determined. From their orbits astronomers can determine if and when they may collide with Earth.
There could be a million NEOs out there so the movement wants the detection rate to be stepped up 100 times. They consider that it is only after detection that any effort can be sensibly put towards deflecting them from Earth in the future. They also feel that deflection is one thing we already have the technology to engineer.
The movement wants governments of the world to come together and participate in asteroid detection and deflection. They are concerned that even small asteroids which may only be 164 feet across could wipe out a city on earth and, apart from the great human disaster that would be in itself, it would cause very serious global economic problems.
Why establish Asteroid Day on the 30th June?
It was on 30th June 1908 that an asteroid struck earth at Tunguska, Siberia, so the 30th June 2015 would be the 107th anniversary of that event.
You can be a supporter.
As a member of the public: You can join the movement to support Asteroid Day on the 30th June here.
If you represent an organisation that would like to become an Asteroid Day Founding Partner, you can email the Asteroid Day partners here and join this important effort.
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