Asteroid Day 2023: Big Success in Luxembourg and more than 400 Events Worldwide

This article was originally published on asteroidfoundation.org on 1/8/23

We are excited to recap the Asteroid Day 2023 events brought to you by the Asteroid Foundation. This year, we took Asteroid Day to new heights in Luxembourg with two flagship events: the Asteroid Day Space Lecture and the Asteroid Day Festival. The response was overwhelming, with participants of all ages joining us for two days of learning and fun.

Asteroid Day Space Lecture: The Latest Updates in Asteroid and Space Research

On the UN-recognised Asteroid Day, June 30, Asteroid Day Space Lecture co-funded by the European Union (ERASMUS+) was hosted in Tramsschapp, Luxembourg. This event gathered students, teachers, academia, and the public, as it provided unique insights into the latest updates in asteroid and space research from space resources to planetary defence.

The Space Lecture featured a distinguished lineup of speakers and a panel of European astronauts who shared their experiences and knowledge. For those who couldn’t attend in person, the event was live-streamed on the Asteroid Day YouTube channel, you can watch the recording here.

Asteroid Day Festival: Where Passion for Space Ignites

The Asteroid Day Festival was a celebration that brought together people of all ages who shared a common passion for exploring space and asteroids. From children to teenagers to adults, attendees found something exciting to engage in throughout the day.

With a wide range of engaging activities available, participants could see for themselves how diverse the space sector is. From painting on a giant papier-mache asteroid to programming space rovers and launching Lego rockets, there was no shortage of captivating experiences. The festival covered into various fascinating topics, including finance in space, space resources, asteroids, and the history and future of manned missions. You can watch the stream recording here.

As part of its 5th anniversary, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the Asteroid Foundation’s main sponsor, organised, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Economy, the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth and the Ministry of Sports, the national “Astronaut for a day” competition to enable around thirty young people to experience a zero-gravity flight and become a “space ambassador” for Luxembourg.

The announcement of the final selection of the winners of the national competition “Astronaut for a day” took place during the Asteroid Day Festival in the presence of ministers Franz Fayot, Georges Engel and Claude Meisch.

Global Events Worldwide: A Resounding Success

Asteroid Day 2023 saw a remarkable global outreach, with more than 400 events registered and still counting. Independent event organizers hosted a plethora of engaging activities, from augmented reality simulations to quizzes and workshops. It was heartwarming to witness the global community coming together to learn, share, and celebrate our shared fascination with asteroids and space.

INAF Sorvegliati Spaziali | Bologna, Italy
An engaging exhibition was held in Bologna, Italy, featuring rare meteorites and relics from the Tunguska and Chelyabinsk events. Visitors were given the unique opportunity to handle, weigh, and observe these meteorites through powerful microscopes. The event also included exciting Augmented Reality (AR) simulations, simulating asteroid impacts. Children enjoyed a workshop on impact craters, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica experts provided valuable insights.

CIRIR | Rochechouart, France Rochechouart, France,
CIRIR hosted multiple events during Asteroid Day, attracting young artists to participate in a drawing competition. Astronomers and researchers from the region showcased posters in an exhibition. Visitors also had the chance to explore meteorites and learn about geology, culture, and heritage.

Parque Campo del Cielo Piguen N´onaxá | Gancedo, Argentina
The park in Gancedo, Argentina, known for housing the massive El Chaco meteorite, buzzed with activities centred around asteroids. With widespread media coverage, excursions and caravans from various cities brought the public together for a full day of scientific and cultural experiences.

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos | Lima, Peru
Astronomy enthusiasts and experts gathered virtually for a series of online conferences, totaling more than seven hours of insightful broadcasts. The conferences, conducted in Spanish, covered various aspects of asteroids and celestial phenomena.

Instituto Milenio de Astrofísica | Pueblito de las Vizcachas, Chile
Asteroid Day was made special by the collaboration of multiple scientific and cultural organisations in Chile. The event featured asteroid-themed games, captivating musical presentations, enlightening workshops, and engaging scientific experiments, all open to the public.

Centro Escolar Sendero de Luz | Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua
Centro Escolar Sendero de Luz students actively participated in constructing and showcasing various models of the Asteroid Belt using affordable materials. Astronomy specialists from Astro Ciencia astronomy club delivered informative lectures, inspiring young minds with their expertise.

Observatorio Micro Macro | Soyapango, El Salvador
The Observatorio Micro Macro engaged numerous students through captivating planetarium sessions, sky-watching, interactive games, enlightening lectures, and our exciting Asteroid Day School Quiz.

Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome | Cape Town, South Africa
Children in Cape Town enjoyed a special planetarium session, delving into the fascinating world of asteroids. They also took part in a hands-on workshop where they learned to create asteroids using soil clay.

Al-Najm Al-Thaqib Astronomical Association | Aïn Tedles, Algeria
Members of the public had the opportunity to interact with astronomers and learn about the positioning of asteroids through informative posters showcasing the solar system.

XP Film | Suva, Fiji Islands
The Fiji Islands joined in on Asteroid Day celebrations for the first time, commemorating the event with a captivating video produced by XP Film. The video was showcased across various media platforms, contributing to the worldwide awareness of Asteroid Day. You can check out this video here.

Press/Media Reach

Luxembourg Press Coverage:
L’Essentiel (French), Paperjam (French), Silicon Luxembourg (English), Gouvernement.lu (French), Chronicle.lu (English), Wort.lu (Luxembourgish).

International Press Coverage:
La Reppublica (Italian), Haberturk (Turkish), India Today (English), India Times (English), The Indian Express (English), News Naver (South Korean), Yahoo! News (English), Merkur.de (German), Olhar Digital (Portuguese), PentaPostagma (Greek).

New Asteroid Day Stamps

In celebration of Asteroid Day, POST Philately issued the third of a series of three special stamps over three years. This year’s design beautifully illustrates the theme of “Discovery”. The stamp features a combination of the letters “A” and “D”, encapsulating the overarching topic of Asteroid Day and the three specific themes: Defence, Discovery, and Driven Resources. The design, by the talented Reza Kianpour, pays tribute to the exploration and understanding of asteroids.

Our partners

Thank you to our sponsors and partners who made this year possible: