ASTEROID DAY, June 30th, is a global day of awareness and education about Asteroids, with events organized around the world by scientists, filmmakers and experts on planetary defense. ASTEROID DAY will teach us about the composition and characteristics of asteroids as well as their role in our solar system – and in our personal lives; how to detect asteroids and how to prevent their impacting Earth.
B612 Foundation, a non-profit organization to protect the world from dangerous asteroids, and the California Academy of Sciences, a leading science museum and research institution based in San Francisco, have partnered to host ASTEROID DAY in San Francisco. Events will begin at 10:00 AM throughout the Academy in Golden Gate Park and continue until closing at 5:00 PM (PT). Participants include: Dr. Ed Lu, three-time NASA Astronaut; Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 Astronaut; Anousheh Ansari, first private woman space traveler; Peter Jenniskens and Seth Shostak of SETI; Astronomer and Gamer Scott Manley; Steve Jurvetson, Partner, DFJ Ventures; David Liddle, Partner, U.S. Venture Partners; Clark Chapman, Sr. Scientist, Southwest Research Institute; David Morrison, Sr. Scientist, NASA SSERVI; Ryan Wyatt, the Academy’s Director of the Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization, and many more.
June 30 is the anniversary of the largest Asteroid impact in recently recorded history. An asteroid about the size of a school bus – considered a “small” asteroid – without notice impacted Tunguska, Russia, destroying 800 square miles of forest, the approximate size of any major metropolitan city. Today, less than one percent of asteroids of this size have been detected, yet it is the only natural disaster that can be prevented through advance detection.
In addition to expert presentations and activities at the Academy, participants in ASTEROID DAY will be invited to view exhibits and sign the 100X ASTEROID Declaration, joining more than 100 luminaries in business, entertainment, space and science – including Musician (QUEEN) and Astrophysicist Dr. Brian May; Lord Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal; TED’s Chris Andersen; Members of Broken Bells; Bill Nye, The Science Guy and CEO, Planetary Society; Producer Jerry Zucker; Musician Peter Gabriel – in a public call for increased detection and mapping of asteroids. The 100X Declaration will be available for public signature on June 30 at the Academy as well as electronically at www.asteroidday.org.
ASTEROID DAY is being planned for adults and children of all ages. Special presentations for youth will be held from 10:00AM-12:00PM at the Academy, with more advanced scientific discussions in the afternoon from 2:00-5:00PM.
For more details about ASTEROID DAY in San Francisco and around the world, or to view the webcasts and sign the Declaration, visit: www.asteroidday.org and follow Asteroid Day on Twitter #AsteroidDay @AsteroidDay and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AsteroidDay
Join B612 Foundation with updates on the Sentinel Mission online on Twitter: #SentinelMission @SentinelMission and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SentinelMission.
