Asteroid Day in the Heart of an Impact Crater in Rochechouart
Asteroid Day in the Heart of an Impact Crater in Rochechouart https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/17213354/Screenshot-2023-10-17-at-21.31.08.png 1278 908 Asteroid Day https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/17213354/Screenshot-2023-10-17-at-21.31.08.png
The Center for International Research and Restitution on Impacts and on Rochechouart (CIRIR) in France serves as a comprehensive hub for asteroid impact research, education, culture, territorial development, and public awareness.
It stands as France’s pioneering institution dedicated to the exploration and appreciation of terrestrial impact craters, situated in the historic town of Rochechouart. This town rests within the confines of an ancient crater, formed approximately 200 million years ago by the colossal impact of an asteroid. Numerous structures in the city were constructed using rocks forged or altered by this impact event, known as impactites.
This visionary initiative was conceived by Philippe Lambert, a renowned authority in the field of impact science, with the aim of converting the Rochechouart impact structure into a global natural laboratory accessible to the international community for the study and exploration of impact phenomena. CIRIR hosts scientists from four different continents.
With a shared mission and goal, CIRIR became part of the Asteroid Day organisers’ community in the 2022 edition. Since then, they have orchestrated an extensive festival to engage local communities and the general public in the region. This festival features a rich array of activities, including conferences, planetarium sessions, exhibitions, competitions, stargazing opportunities, and various forms of interaction with scholars and experts in the field.
Event posters
Their events are truly exceptional. Not only are they enjoyable, free, and meaningful, but they also take place on an actual asteroid impact site. Numerous impact craters around the globe remain largely unexplored, with untapped scientific, historical, and tourist potential. Hopefully, the events organised by CIRIR will serve as an inspiration for others to recognise the significance of these sites and unlock their hidden potential.
A diversity of options was one of the highlights of Asteroid Day 2023 in Rochechouart
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