Special Asteroid Day Moments in Central America and the Caribbean
Special Asteroid Day Moments in Central America and the Caribbean https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31163223/post8.png 745 533 Asteroid Day https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31163223/post8.png
We’re delighted to share how asteroid science continues to inspire communities across the globe. As part of the 10th anniversary of Asteroid Day, Central America and the Caribbean made a strong impression — delivering memorable moments filled with education, community spirit, and celestial curiosity. Here’s a look at some regional highlights.
We begin in Cuba, where the National Museum of Natural History and the University of Havana Astronomical Observatory hosted events in the capital. Lectures covered asteroid classifications, how science and technology are used to forecast cosmic threats, strategies for planetary protection, and updates on asteroid 2024 YR4.
Images from lectures delivered by Physics and Communication students at the University of Havana (Source: Juventud Técnica)
In Guatemala, the IAU’s National Outreach Coordination held a webinar with Professors Edgar Castro and Ivan Javora, focusing on asteroid types and planetary defence. Meanwhile in Costa Rica, the San José Planetarium hosted a virtual talk with Professor Edwin Santiago, followed by a screening and expert-led discussion of Armageddon. This article lists asteroid-related films that can spark meaningful conversations grounded in real science.
Images from webinars broadcast by the IAU–NOC in Guatemala (left) and the San José Planetarium (right)
In Nicaragua, Astrociencia members spoke about Asteroid Day on television and hosted a conference at the Museo de Ciencias y el Cosmos in Managua.
Astrociencia participating in a television programme (left) and hosting a conference (right). It is one of the astronomical organisations with the largest number of events in Central America.
In El Salvador, the Micro Macro Observatory at Universidad Don Bosco in Soyapango organised Asteroid Week, engaging audiences with lectures, skywatching sessions, and themed activities.
Audiences of all ages learnt about asteroids through games and lectures offered by the Micro Macro Observatory
Across the region, people marked Asteroid Day by creating engaging videos and sharing their passion on social media. In Puerto Rico, video creator Kamille Morales Lebrón marked the day by sharing a video highlighting newly detected asteroids captured in the first images from the Vera Rubin Observatory.
A conference in Haiti, held at the École Nationale de Géologie Appliquée, brought together students and professors to discuss asteroids’ role in Earth’s geological past, impact risks, and space exploration opportunities.
Participants at the lively conference held at the École Nationale de Géologie Appliquée in celebration of Asteroid Day.
Lastly, Barbados, a Caribbean island of 300,000 residents, joined the global celebrations with Asteroids: Heavy Metal Rock Stars, an event hosted by the Barbados Astronomical Society and the Harry Bayley Observatory. The evening included a talk on asteroids followed by a skywatching session.
Have you organised or taken part in an event in this region? Let us know by filling out this report.
