30 June 2021
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Did you mark Asteroid Day earlier this summer? The special day is observed each year on 30 June in a bid to educate the public about the ‘risks and opportunities’ of asteroids.
The United Nations sanctioned day of public awareness was co-founded by astrophysicist and guitarist Dr Brian May of the rock group Queen, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, filmmaker Grig Richters, and B612 Foundation President Danica Remy.
The 30 June was picked as the date to remember the Earth’s largest asteroid impact in recorded history, the Siberia Tunguska event of 1908 which flattened around 80 million trees.
As well as special talks, events, and the production of educational materials, this year’s Asteroid Day was also marked with a stamp and postcard from Luxembourg.
The stamp shows an image of the asteroid ‘Ryugu’, produced by Brian May and colleague Claudia Manzoni.
And if the sight of an asteroid hurtling towards you wasn’t alarming enough, the €0.80 value comes complete with 3D glasses to bring the specially produced image to life.
Issue date: 30 June 2021, www.postphilately.lu
