This Website has been launched on the 250th anniversary of humanity's closest known brush with extinction by a comet. On July 1, 1770, Comet Lexell came within six lunar distances of colliding with our planet. Had it done so, we probably would have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Meanwhile, it just so happens that a global organization called Asteroid Day came into existence a few years ago to highlight the threat of asteroid impacts and is held annually on June 30, the anniversary of the meteor explosion overt Tunguska in 1908. So it occurred to me that the coincidence of dates suggested a two-day recognition of the threat posed by both asteroids and comets; thus, Asteroid Day and Comet Day, or Asteroid/Comet Days. The intended purpose of both of these "Day"s is to draw attention to the ever-present risk of Earth impact by an extraterrestrial body.
You can read in more detail about Comet Lexell and the rationale for a separate Comet Day below.
I would like to dedicate this Website to the late Michael F. A'Hearn, a noted comet expert and principal investigator of the Deep Impact mission, who first informed me about Comet Lexell and told me of the concern it had inspired in him. In his latter years he began to focus his scientific expertise on planetary defense, but this was tragically cut short by his sudden illness. You can read more about this by clicking on
THIS LINK.
I will now roll up my shirtsleeves and see what I can do to help develop this idea further in coming days and years. This is just a heads up. Indeed, keep looking up! Thank you - Joel Marks
