Verified observance guide
Source-backedReviewed guideFixed Annual

International Asteroid Day

A/RES/71/90

Research briefVerified essentials at a glance
Source-backed
Date / rule30 June
Recurrence modelFixed Annual
Verified scopeUnited Nations / international observance
Last authority check2026-09-05

A/RES/71/90

This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.

Next safely resolved occurrenceWednesday, June 30, 2027Date guide →
Reviewed guide

Overview

International Asteroid Day is observed on 30 June to raise awareness of asteroid-impact hazards and international work related to near-Earth objects.

The observance is educational and preparedness-oriented. It should not be used to amplify unsupported impact predictions, sensational claims or unofficial emergency instructions.

Reviewed guide

Why it matters

Near-Earth-object monitoring combines astronomy, observation networks, orbit calculation, risk communication and international coordination. Public understanding benefits from distinguishing a detected object from a credible impact threat.

Current risk assessments can change as observations improve, so live hazard claims should come from competent space agencies and recognized monitoring systems rather than evergreen observance copy.

Reviewed guide

History

In December 2016, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90 declaring 30 June International Asteroid Day.

The United Nations states that 30 June was chosen to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia on 30 June 1908.

Institutional timeline

How the observance developed

This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.

  1. Establishment

    United Nations General Assembly

    UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/90

  2. First observance

    First documented observance

    United Nations material identifies 30 June 2017 as the first International Asteroid Day following the General Assembly designation.

Institutional record

What the evidence establishes

Evidence & sources ↓

Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.

Proclaiming / establishing bodyUnited Nations General AssemblyIn December 2016, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90 declaring 30 June International Asteroid Day.
Original establishing instrument / decisionUN General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/90This instrument is explicitly identified in the reviewed institutional history as establishing, designating, proclaiming or formally recognizing the recurring observance.
Original instrument adoption / decision date6 December 2016UN Digital Library records 6 December 2016 as the General Assembly action date for A/RES/71/90.
First observance30 June 2017United Nations material identifies 30 June 2017 as the first International Asteroid Day following the General Assembly designation.
Why this exact date?The United Nations chose 30 June to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia on 30 June 1908.Why is International Asteroid Day on 30 June?
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Originator / proposerNo separate proposer/originator is established in the reviewed guide sources; this field is not inferred from the recognizing institution.
Current facilitator / coordinatorNo current facilitator/coordinator is explicitly established in the reviewed guide sources.
Former nameNo former name is established in the reviewed guide sources.
Former dateNo former observance date is established in the reviewed guide sources.
Evidence hierarchyHigh confidence
2 Primary institutional / legal
Open the consolidated evidence list ↓
Reviewed guide

Ways to observe

01

Explore how astronomers detect and track near-Earth objects using a recognized space-agency resource.

02

Learn what changes when additional observations refine an asteroid’s orbit.

03

Compare planetary defence with human spaceflight so the two topics are not treated as the same field.

04

Use reputable observatories, space agencies or UN space resources when discussing current risk.

05

Avoid sharing alarming impact claims without a current authoritative source.

Reviewed guide

Useful facts

Fact 01

International Asteroid Day is observed on 30 June.

Fact 02

The UN General Assembly established it through A/RES/71/90 in 2016.

Fact 03

30 June marks the anniversary of the 1908 Tunguska impact.

Fact 04

The day focuses on asteroid-impact awareness and near-Earth-object preparedness.

Fact 05

Current risk assessments are time-sensitive and should not be frozen into evergreen copy.

Classification

Topic and context

Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle →
Accuracy controls

What this page does not assume

  • Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
  • Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
  • Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence

Evidence & sources

Source policy →

Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.

Questions & connections

Understand it, compare it, then explore further

Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

When is International Asteroid Day?

30 June The stored recurrence guidance is: 30 June.

Does International Asteroid Day fall on the same date every year?

The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.

Is International Asteroid Day an official public holiday?

The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.

Who established or recognizes International Asteroid Day?

The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body.

Is International Asteroid Day international or country-specific?

The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.

How is this page verified?

The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.

Why is International Asteroid Day on 30 June?

The United Nations chose 30 June to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia on 30 June 1908.

Does Asteroid Day mean a specific asteroid is expected to hit Earth?

No. The observance is about awareness and preparedness; any current impact-risk claim must be checked against competent, up-to-date monitoring sources.

Which resolution established the day?

The UN General Assembly established International Asteroid Day through resolution A/RES/71/90 in 2016.

Reviewed distinctions

How this differs from closely related observances

These distinctions are separately reviewed and source-backed. They clarify scope; they do not change either authority record.

Explore further

Related observances with useful context

More in this topic →

Related records are selected from shared ontology signals. When a reviewed distinction exists, it is labeled separately so “related” is not mistaken for “the same observance.”

Same date

Other observances on June 30

Date guide →

These records also resolve to June 30, 2027 under the current authority data.

Source-backedRule Based Annual

National Day of Joy

United States / Comfort Keepers creator-defined observance

Comfort Keepers states that it created National Day of Joy in 2019 and observes it on the last Wednesday in June; its current page identifies 24 June 2026. This makes the date calculable wh…

Source-backedFixed Annual

National Ice Cream Soda Day

Informal food-calendar usage documented by Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals chapter material

Two Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals chapter calendars from different publication years list National Ice Cream Soda Day on 30 June.

Source-backedFixed Annual

Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day

Philippines / national special working holiday; special non-working holiday in Aurora Province

Republic Act No. 9187 declares 30 June each year Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, a national special working holiday and a special non-working holiday in Aurora Province.

Source-backedFixed Annual

Social Media Day

Global social-media observance; Michigan also proclaims 30 June at state level

Michigan government states that Mashable launched Social Media Day in June 2010 and documents 30 June as the annual date, including a 2026 Michigan proclamation.