### World Asteroid Day
**History:**
World Asteroid Day is an annual global event observed on June 30th to raise awareness about asteroids and the potential threat they pose to Earth, as well as to promote efforts for asteroid discovery and impact mitigation. The date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the Tunguska event in 1908, the largest asteroid impact in recorded history.
**Significance:**
- **Awareness:** Raises public awareness about asteroids and their impact hazards.
- **Education:** Promotes education about asteroids, their composition, orbits, and potential risks.
- **Scientific Exploration:** Highlights ongoing research and missions related to asteroids.
- **Mitigation Strategies:** Encourages discussions on asteroid detection, deflection, and impact mitigation strategies.
**Important to Society:**
- **Planetary Defense:** Raises awareness about efforts to monitor asteroids that could potentially impact Earth and develop strategies to prevent catastrophic events.
- **Scientific Discovery:** Provides opportunities for scientific research and exploration of asteroids, which can provide insights into the early solar system.
- **Global Collaboration:** Promotes international cooperation in monitoring, tracking, and researching asteroids.
- **Public Engagement:** Engages the public in discussions about space hazards and the importance of planetary defense.
**Timeline:**
- **June 30, 1908:** The Tunguska event occurs in Siberia, Russia, where an asteroid or comet fragment exploded in the atmosphere, causing devastation over a large area.
- **2014:** The B612 Foundation, along with astrophysicist Dr. Brian May, initiates the Asteroid Day campaign to raise awareness about asteroids and planetary defense.
- **June 30, 2015:** The first official World Asteroid Day is celebrated globally, with events and activities organized worldwide to promote asteroid awareness.
**Facts:**
- **Tunguska Event:** The Tunguska event is estimated to have been 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
- **Asteroid Missions:** NASA, ESA, JAXA, and other space agencies have conducted missions to study asteroids up close, such as NASA's OSIRIS-REx and Japan's Hayabusa missions.
- **Chelyabinsk Meteor:** In 2013, a meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring hundreds and prompting increased interest in planetary defense.
**FAQs:**
1. **What is World Asteroid Day?**
- It is an annual event to raise awareness about asteroids, their potential impact hazards, and efforts to detect and mitigate these risks.
2. **When is World Asteroid Day celebrated?**
- June 30th every year, commemorating the Tunguska event.
3. **Why is World Asteroid Day important?**
- It educates the public about the impact hazards posed by asteroids and promotes global efforts to monitor, detect, and potentially mitigate asteroid threats.
4. **How can people participate in World Asteroid Day?**
- By attending events, learning about asteroids and planetary defense, supporting asteroid research and space missions, and spreading awareness on social media using #AsteroidDay.
5. **What are some ongoing efforts in asteroid research and exploration?**
- Space missions like NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission, aimed at testing asteroid deflection techniques, and ongoing surveys to discover and track near-Earth asteroids.
**Wishing:**
- **Simple Wishes:** "Happy World Asteroid Day!"
- **Awareness Wishes:** "Raise awareness about asteroids and planetary defense. Happy World Asteroid Day!"
- **Supportive Wishes:** "Support efforts to study and mitigate asteroid threats. Happy World Asteroid Day!"
World Asteroid Day serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding and monitoring asteroids for planetary defense, promoting scientific research, and fostering global collaboration to safeguard Earth from potential impact hazards.
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