International Asteroid day: What happened on June 30, 1908?

International Asteroid Day, observed on June 30, commemorates the 1908 Tunguska event in Siberia, where an asteroid explosion flattened 830 square miles of forest. Established by the UN in 2016, this day raises awareness about asteroid impact threats and promotes planetary defense efforts. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) monitors Near-Earth Objects and develops mitigation technologies. The successful Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission demonstrated asteroid deflection, showcasing humanity’s ability to prevent potential future impacts.