Asteroid Day 2019: global broadcast via SES satellites
However, there are millions of asteroids in our solar system only a few people know that dozens of very-well known minor planets are circulating in the space, also. Successful researches of MTA and partners have already registered 66 planetoids to be named after famous Hungarian places and celebrities. More people might be aware of the fact that Dr. Brian May is not just the world-renowned guitarist of Queen but also an astrophysicist himself, in addition a co-founder of Asteroid Day celebrated on 30 June each year. On the occasion of this year’s event, SES satellite operator shows you some exciting global and local facts relating to asteroids, as well as together with other contributors prepare with a 24-hour Asteroid Day LIVE broadcast about space and the role of asteroids in our solar system.
Did you know that there are 66 planetoids in our solar system which were named after Hungarian celebrities and famous places? Thanks to the research groups of MTA Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences there are more than 2,000 asteroids discovered since 1997 by Hungary. However, assigning a name to a newly discovered rocky object is quite a long process that can take decades, there are 66 registered Hungarian-related minor planets in the space already. It is always the discoverers’ privilege to suggest a name for the discovery which is judged by the Minor Planet Center. This is how Ferenc Deák the “The Wise Man of the Nation”, Miklós Wesselényi and even Tihany are circulating in our solar system.
With our modern technological developments asteroids is a favoured focus for space programs, however, there are still a million pieces we haven’t identified yet. Dr. Brian May, the world-renowned guitarist of rock band Queen is also a Doctor of Astrophysics. Although, he put his academic studies on hold when Queen’s popularity first exploded, his keen passion for Astronomy led him back to Astrophysics and his doctoral thesis. In 2014 Dr. Brian May was the co-founder of Asteroid Day to be held on 30 June every year to mark the date of Earth’s largest asteroid impact in recorded history, the Siberia Tunguska event, which devastated over 2,000 km2 of forest in 1908.
Since then, the Asteroid Day has been declared to be a global day of education to raise awareness about asteroids. In 2017, with contribution of SES, the Asteroid Foundation debuted the first ever 24-hour live broadcast from space with collaboration of Stephen Hawking. It won’t be otherwise this year either: viewers around the world receive a month of programming to celebrate Asteroid Day. Thanks to a partnership between SES and BCE (Broadcasting Center Europe), the broadcast will feature pre-recorded and live High Definition (HD) content from Asteroid Day’s global programmes and events throughout June 2019.
The programming will culminate on 28 June with Asteroid Day LIVE, a 24-hour live broadcast. The marathon show will be hosted by prominent journalists from CNN and BBC, who will be joined by famous astronauts, expert scientists, technologists, as well as researchers in planetary science.
Join the conversation to discover more about the space and the role of asteroids in our solar system.
2019 Asteroid Day full broadcast schedule is available here: https://asteroidday.org/asteroid-day-live-from-luxembourg/