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Space Experts and Enthusiasts to celebrate Asteroid Day

On the anniversary of Earth’s largest asteroid impact in recorded history, more than 700 events in 190 countries will take place to mark Asteroid Day.

On June 30, 1908, an asteroid devastated 2000 square kilometres of forest in Siberia. In 2016, Asteroid Day was sanctioned by the United Nations, as a global day of education to raise awareness of asteroids, their role in our solar system and the need to use science and technology to increase our knowledge and ability to protect humanity from dangerous impacts and facilitate future exploration.

Events for Asteroid Day 2017 are being planned on all five continents and include participation this year from major space agencies: European Space Agency (ESA); Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and NASA, America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where every day is asteroid day. Events will take place for all ages at science centres, planetariums, observatories, museums, schools, theatres, libraries, civic, government halls and town squares.

Here are just some of the highlights:

In London, where Asteroid Day was co-founded, events will take place at Imperial College. Debbie Lewis, Deputy Chair of the Asteroid Day expert panel and a specialist in risk, crisis and disaster management, will host guests including Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, Clemens Rumpf, Dr. Simon Green, Jerry Stone, Denis Pellerin, Peter Birtwhistle, Jonathan Tate, and Prof. Lewis Dartnell.

Various cities across Israel will hold events. There will be a “Fire from the Sky” lecture by Asteroid Day Israel Regional Coordinator Victor Bar, at the Israeli Astronomical Association and at the Giv’atayim Observatory, the oldest observatory in Israel and the main base for amateur Israeli astronomers. There will be two other events at locations Netanya and Yarka in Israel focused on Asteroids.

In addition, on June 30th, Asteroid Day LIVE, the first ever 24-hour live broadcast about the asteroid threat, will be produced from the new Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE) studio at RTL City, Luxembourg. The programme will serve as a platform for the first global conversation about asteroids. Hosted by British physicist, author and BBC commentator Brian Cox, participants include expert scientists, technologists and researchers in planetary science, including NASA Astronauts Rusty Schweickart, Ed Lu and Nicole Stott; ESA astronauts Michel Tognini, Jean-François Clervoy; first Romanian Astronaut and ASE President Dorin Prunariu, first Romanian Astronaut; ASE president, UN COPUOS; Astrophysicists and Planetary Scientists Susan McKenna-Lawlor, Julia De Leon, Mark Boslough, Patrick Michel; Owner and CEO OHB SE Marco Fuchs, and Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider.

Asteroid Day LIVE will be distributed globally on June 30, via a SES satellite network and available on various local channels subscribing to the SES satellite network, and the Asteroid Day website. Media can download the feed from satellite or request streaming access from Asteroid Day.

Asteroid Day primary media partner, Discovery Channel, has also produced two specials about asteroids and Asteroid Day to air June 30 around the world: “How to Survive an Asteroid Impact” and a three-minute Virtual Reality video that provides viewers with an insight into the risks of asteroids, how scientists are trying to protect our planet, and what viewers should do if an asteroid is about to impact their city.

Finally, and central to Asteroid Day, is the 100x Declaration, calling for the 100-fold increase in the detection and monitoring of asteroids. Signed to date by more than x people around the world, the Declaration resolves to “solve humanity’s greatest challenges to safeguard our families and quality of life on Earth in the future”. The Declaration is available online for the signature of all world citizens concerned about advancing asteroid research and technology.

Join in the conversation on June 30!

TWITTER: @asteroidday #AsteroidDay, #AsteroidDayLive;
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/AsteroidDay #AsteroidDay, #AsteroidDayLive
YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/user/asteroidday

Original published at: https://spacewatch.global/2017/06/space-experts-enthusiasts-celebrate-asteroid-day/

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