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2029 Declared International Year for Asteroid Awareness

2/7/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The European Space Agency (ESA) champions the UN's declaration of 2029 as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence. This initiative seeks to unite global efforts and raise public awareness about asteroid threats. A highlight of this year will be the close approach of asteroid 99942 Apophis in April 2029, offering a rare chance for observation.

History

Historical Context

The UN's declaration of 2029 as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness echoes past initiatives like the 1998 Near Earth Object Program, which aimed to track potentially hazardous asteroids. The close approach of asteroid 99942 Apophis in April 2029 revives concerns similar to those raised after the Chelyabinsk meteor event in 2013, highlighting the need for global vigilance against asteroid threats.

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Story summary

The European Space Agency (ESA) champions the UN's declaration of 2029 as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence. This initiative seeks to unite global efforts and raise public awareness about asteroid threats. A highlight of this year will be the close approach of asteroid 99942 Apophis in April 2029, offering a rare chance for observation.

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