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Defending Earth from Asteroids With Neil deGrasse Tyson

neildegrassetysonThere are about a million near-Earth asteroids that are large enough to substantially damage or destroy a major city, as evidenced by the explosion over Chelyabinsk, Russia, this past February of a meteor no bigger than a large truck, which injured more than 1,000 people.

With current space technology, scientists know how to deflect the majority of hazardous near-Earth objects, but prevention is only possible if nations work together on detection and deflection. Learn about the risks and the steps that are needed to avoid these potential natural disasters from a group of astronauts and cosmonauts who have flown for three different space agencies—and who were instrumental in developing recommendations to the United Nations for defending Earth from asteroid impact. Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts the discussion, which comes the same week as the United Nations General Assembly adopts measures creating an international decision-making mechanism for planetary asteroid defense. The Museum and the Association of Space Explorers (ASE)—the professional society of astronauts and cosmonauts—are cohosting this timely discussion.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Cassidy, photographer; John Callahan, illustrator











When: Fri., Oct. 25, 2013 at 11:00 am
Where: American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
212-769-5100
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neildegrassetysonThere are about a million near-Earth asteroids that are large enough to substantially damage or destroy a major city, as evidenced by the explosion over Chelyabinsk, Russia, this past February of a meteor no bigger than a large truck, which injured more than 1,000 people.

With current space technology, scientists know how to deflect the majority of hazardous near-Earth objects, but prevention is only possible if nations work together on detection and deflection. Learn about the risks and the steps that are needed to avoid these potential natural disasters from a group of astronauts and cosmonauts who have flown for three different space agencies—and who were instrumental in developing recommendations to the United Nations for defending Earth from asteroid impact. Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts the discussion, which comes the same week as the United Nations General Assembly adopts measures creating an international decision-making mechanism for planetary asteroid defense. The Museum and the Association of Space Explorers (ASE)—the professional society of astronauts and cosmonauts—are cohosting this timely discussion.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Cassidy, photographer; John Callahan, illustrator

Buy tickets/get more info now