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Small rocky bodies that orbit the sun are called asteroids, but because of their smaller size, they are not considered planets. Their size varies from that of a pebble to 600 miles across! Some are so small that it is impossible to detect them. They are considered the leftover material of the Solar System.
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Most of the asteroids reside within the main asteroid belt which comprises the region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, but some have eccentric orbits which makes collision with Earth a very real possibility.
According to Astronomers, there is a distinct possibility of space rocks colliding with our planet in both the year 2027 and 2029. This is a frightening possibility as the impact of an asteroid hurtling through the sky would carry a tremendous amount of energy.
An example of this is an asteroid hitting Earth with the speed of 30,000 mph. The energy of such an asteroid would be equal to a 1 million megaton bomb which means such an event would wipe out almost all life on our planet.
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The Tunguska Impact
On 30th June, 1908, a large explosion occurred in the sky over the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia, Russia. NASA estimated that the 220-million-pound asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere at the speed of about 33,500 mph. It heated the surrounding air to 44,500 degrees Fahrenheit. When the asteroid was at 28,000 feet, the pressure and heat combined and blasted it into fragments, creating a fireball with the energy to rival 185 Hiroshima bombs. The blast flattened an estimated 80 million trees over an area of 830 square miles of forest.
This impact is widely considered by scientists as the largest asteroid impact on Earth in recorded history.
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To raise awareness about the danger of asteroid impacts, the United Nations General Assembly declared the anniversary of the Tunguska Impact as World Asteroid Day. The day came into being thanks to the efforts of astrophysicist and lead guitarist of QUEEN, Dr. Brian May; President of B612 Foundation, Danica Remy; Apollo 9 Astronaut, Rusty Schweickart; and filmmaker Grig Richters. It aims to not only provide awareness and knowledge regarding asteroids among the general public, but to help them understand the role they play in our solar system today.
