In all likelihood, June 30, 1908, began as a normal morning in Siberia. At last, the frozen boreal woods had given way to the thaw of early summer.
The dawn was interrupted when a light nearly as bright as the sun tore across the sky over Lake Baikal. Clouds and a pillar of flames rose from the Earth. After a few minutes, a shockwave spread across the land, breaking windows for miles.
A 1908 Sibir newspaper read, 鈥淎ll buildings shook. At the same time the cloud began emitting flames of uncertain shapes. All villagers were stricken with panic and took to the streets, women cried, thinking it was the end of the world.鈥�
June 30, proclaimed in 2016 by the United Nations to be observed globally as Asteroid Day, marks 117 years since the Tunguska event.
The largest Earth impact in recorded history, the Tunguska event leveled 830 square miles of forest -- an area over twice the size of New York City. The asteroid鈥檚 diameter was estimated to be 70 meters.
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly released legislation Wednesday to designate June 30 as National Asteroid Day in the United States. He was among the first to sign the 2015 100X Declaration, which calls for an increase in studies of near-Earth objects and raising the detection rate to 100,000 per year.
鈥淜elly recognizes the importance of science and, as an astronaut himself, the importance of space exploration. We鈥檙e really pleased he weighed in on this,鈥� said Kevin Schindler, historian and public information officer at Lowell Observatory.
He notes that northern Arizona is one of the most important astronomy centers in the country, if not the world.
鈥淭o have him recognize it is certainly appropriate,鈥� Schindler said.
Asteroid Day was founded in 2015 by a diverse band of scientists: Rusty Schweikart, astronaut; Brian May, astrophysicist and guitarist of British rock band Queen; B612 Foundation President Danica Remy; and filmmaker Grig Richters.
Schweikart himself trained in Flagstaff before Apollo 9鈥檚 1969 mission to test the lunar lander in Earth鈥檚 orbit. The efforts paved the way to Apollo 11鈥檚 lunar landing a few months down the road.
To this day, astronauts follow in his footsteps, traveling to Flagstaff and the surrounding areas to hone their skills in geology.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a footnote in history,鈥� Schindler said. 鈥淚t set the foundation for the future.鈥�
Winslow鈥檚 Meteor Crater, formed 50,000 years ago, is infamous for being the best-preserved meteor impact site in the world. Stretching 4,000 feet across and 700 feet deep, the crater is a monument to the devastation wrought so many years ago. It serves as a perfect backdrop for Asteroid Day events.
On Monday, June 30, Meteor Crater and Lowell Observatory invite the public to observe the unique benchmark with a day of educational activities.
Beginning at 9 a.m., Meteor Crater will offer a full-rim guided hike along the edge of the crater. Afterwards, at 11 a.m., the doors open for science demonstrations, face painting and food trucks. Guest speakers will be offering talks until 4 p.m.
Schweikart is one speaker returning to northern Arizona for the event. The robust list also features Schindler, Lowell Observatory postdoctoral fellow Quicheng Zhang, science fiction author Mary Robinette Kowal, YouTuber and astrophysicist Scott Manley, and historian Bill Shehan.
Lowell Observatory will also host scientific talks following an Asteroid Day proclamation from Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett at 5 p.m. A scientific discovery station and face painting will be available from 1 p.m. onward.
In addition to raising awareness surrounding near-Earth objects,聽Asteroid Day also provides education on space and Earth鈥檚 place in the universe.
鈥淎steroid Day is about the inspiration to learn more about the cosmos,鈥� Schindler said.
Tickets and additional information on the event can be found online at .
鈥淓arth gets hit by a lot of debris from space. When you see a shooting star, 99 percent of those are something the size of a grain of sand. Once a month or so, we get hit by something the size of a basketball. The larger the size, the less frequently it happens,鈥� Schindler said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not something we should be afraid of. We will get hit by stuff in the future, but by studying it and better understanding it, we鈥檙e better equipped to handle it.鈥�