International Asteroid Day ― Date, History, and Details
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History of International Asteroid Day and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
In 2008, the United Nations declared June 30th as International Asteroid Day in order to raise awareness of the threat asteroids pose to Earth. Each year on this day, events are held around the world to educate the public about asteroids and what can be done to prevent an asteroid impact.
Asteroids are small, rocky bodies that orbit the sun. They range in size from a few meters across to hundreds of kilometers across. While most asteroids pose no threat to Earth, there is a small chance that one could collide with our planet. An asteroid impact would cause widespread destruction and could potentially extinguish all life on Earth.
There are several ways to prevent an asteroid impact. One is to detect asteroids early and track their orbits. If an asteroid is found to be on a collision course with Earth, we can then take steps to deflect it. Another way to prevent an impact is to destroy an asteroid before it reaches us. This can be done by using nuclear weapons or by crashing a spacecraft into the asteroid.
International Asteroid Day is an important day to raise awareness of the asteroid threat and what we can do to prevent an impact. By working together, we can ensure that our planet remains safe from the dangers of space.