According to NASA, asteroids are irregular rocky objects that revolve around the Sun but are much smaller than planets. They are airless celestial bodies that remained after the formation of our solar system.
Our solar system is densely packed with these rocky asteroids, most of which are located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Many asteroids pass safely by our planet, but others potentially reach Earth’s orbit.
These are known as Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and can cause catastrophic damage to the planet. NASA regularly observes these NEOs, and according to its Center for NEO Studies, more than 16,000 near-Earth asteroids have been found.
What is the significance of International Asteroid Day?
The purpose of International Asteroid Day is to educate people about the dangers of asteroid impacts and to familiarize them with the crisis communication measures that should be taken in such an event. As a result, many organizations host programs to teach people about asteroids and the dangers they represent.
You can check out NASA’s unique event last year to commemorate International Asteroid Day, where the space agency and experts presented knowledge about asteroids and answered questions about interstellar objects.