On 30th June, the UN proclaimed International Asteroid Day is observed as anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia in 1908; raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard, and 'inform the public about the crisis communication actions to be taken at the global level in case of a credible near-Earth object threat.'
The Association of Space Exp
lorers takes a great interest in the observance of this day.
Some pertinent facts about the significance of the observation on the UN website are as follows.
-Near-Earth objects (NEOs) represent potentially catastrophic threats to our planet. NEO is an asteroid or comet, which passes close to the Earth's orbit. According to NASA’s Center for NEO Studies, there are over 16 000 Near Earth Asteroids discovered.
-The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has worked on NEOs for many years, recognising a NEO impact hazard as a global issue demanding an international response. Addressing such a hazard, including the identification of those objects that pose a threat of impact and planning a corresponding mitigation campaign, requires cooperative action in the interest of public safety on the part of the global community.
-The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) uses well-defined communication plans and protocols to assist Governments in the analysis of possible consequences of an asteroid impact and to support the planning of mitigation responses.
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