World Asteroid Day 2023: Know the details, history, significance of the day, and facts about asteroids

The world recognizes June 30 as International Asteroid Day or World Asteroid Day. The day is dedicated to commemorating the Tunguska event that took place in 1908 and transpired in Siberia, Russia. A colossal asteroid explosion took place in 1908 that destroyed 2,150 square kilometers of Siberian forest.

The objective of International Asteroid Day is to educate the populace all over the globe about asteroids. The day also aims at enlightening individuals about the potential cataclysmic results of the impacts of asteroids on the planet. The International Asteroid Day is celebrated globally by all the member countries of the United Nations.

This day calls the global governments to create strategies to manage a calamity similar to the Tunguska event in the future.

World Asteroid Day 2023: History

It was in the year 2014 that World Asteroid Day was incepted. The intent then was to inform the populace about the potential asteroid threats to Earth.

A massive event, the Chelyabinsk meteor event, occurred in 2013. The event spiked the concept of International Asteroid Day. In the very next year, a team of notable dignitaries, including Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, physicist Stephen Hawking, B612 Foundation President Danica Remy, filmmaker Grigorij Richters, and astrophysicist Brian May, initiated the idea of International Asteroid Day.

The United Nations officially endorsed the 30th of June as Asteroid Day via a resolution in 2016.

World Asteroid Day 2023: Key Details

Date: June 30

Establishment year: 2015

Adoption by the UN: 2016

Aim: To spread awareness about asteroids. Creating plans to safeguard the Earth from potential asteroid impacts.

World Asteroid Day 2023: Significance

International Asteroid Day or World Asteroid Day plays the role of an annual reminder of how asteroids can have a potentially dangerous impact on our planet. The day highlights incidents like the 2013 Chelyabinsk event and the 1908 Tunguska event and reminds the world of the devastating impacts of such events.

The objective of World Asteroid Day is to promote awareness about the probable harm, asteroids can bring to life and resources on Earth. The day calls the global governments to action to devise plans for the protection of the planet from the potential adverse impacts of asteroids on Earth.

Word Asteroid Day 2023: Types of Asteroids and related facts

There are three major classes of asteroids. These are C- type, S- type, and M- type.

C-Type Asteroids

.These are the most common type of asteroids. These form approximately 75 percent of all the known asteroids in the solar system.

Facts about C-type asteroids

• There are plenty of C-type asteroids in the solar system. Out of all the asteroids, the C-type is the most in number.
• These are one of the most ancient celestial bodies in our solar system.
• These have the same spectral classification as carbonaceous meteorites.
• These are among the darkest of all celestial bodies in color.
• The C-type asteroids portray a charcoal-like appearance. This is due to the high carbon concentration.

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S-Type Asteroids

This type of asteroid is the second-most commonly found asteroid in our solar system. The S-Type asteroids are stony mineralogical bodies.

Facts about S-type asteroids

• The S-type asteroids comprise some of the most giant asteroids ever found.
• 7 Iris is the brightest S-type asteroid. It is one of the brightest asteroids ever found till now.
• Many of the S-type asteroids have the same spectral features and compositions as those in certain meteorites.
• The S-type asteroids make up approximately 17 percent of all the known asteroids in our solar system.

M-Type Asteroids

The third most common asteroid type in the solar system is the M-type asteroid. However, not much information is known about these asteroids.

Facts about M-type asteroids

• Many of the M-type asteroids are created out of nickel-iron.
• These asteroids usually have an albedo between 0.1 and 0.2. These are moderately bright asteroids

• These are among the least studied group of asteroids.
• It is at the very middle of the asteroid belt where the M-type asteroids are located.

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