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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
ESA,
H. Hammel (Space Science Institute, Boulder, Co.),
and the Jupiter Impact Team
Explanation:
This sprawling dark marking is Jupiter's latest impact scar,
a debris plume created as a small asteroid or comet disintegrated
after plunging into
the gas giant's
atmosphere.
Located in Jupiter's south polar region, the
new feature was discovered
by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley on July 19.
On July 23rd Wesley's discovery was followed up by the Hubble Space
Telescope with its newly installed Wide Field Camera 3, creating
this sharpest view of the evolving debris plume.
Estimates indicate that the impacting object itself was several hundred
meters across.
Similar impact markings were created when
pieces of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 slammed
into Jupiter's cloud bands in July of 1994.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Jupiter - impact - comet - asteroid
Publications with words: Jupiter - impact - comet - asteroid
See also:
- APOD: 2024 December 16 Á A Kilometer High Cliff on Comet Churyumov Gerasimenko
- Phaethon s Brood
- Stereo Jupiter near Opposition
- APOD: 2024 November 27 Á The Meteor and the Comet
- APOD: 2024 November 11 Á The Unusual Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas
- APOD: 2024 November 6 Á Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas over the Dolomites
- APOD: 2024 November 3 Á Jupiter Abyss