Jupiter Struck by Object, NASA Images Confirm

[WeDidIt]

This is kind of scary because Terra is similarly vulnerable and nobody saw this one coming:

Jupiter Struck by Object, NASA Images Confirm

PASADENA, California — A large comet or asteroid has slammed into Jupiter, creating an impact site the size of Earth, pictures by an Australian amateur astronomer show.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed the discovery using its large infrared telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, said computer programer Anthony Wesley, 44, who discovered the impact zone while stargazing at home.

News of Wesley's find on a backyard 14.5-inch reflecting telescope has stunned the astronomy world, with scientists saying the impact will last only days more.

Wesley said it took him 30 minutes to realize a dark spot rotating in Jupiter's clouds on July 19 was actually the first impact seen by astronomers since a comet collided with the giant planet in July 1994.

July 20: A large impact on Jupiter's south polar region is captured by NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

Yeah, I know it's Fox, but it was the only source I could find

We need to increase funding for NEO research.

[Robb]

1. Terra Terra Terra!!

:D

[WeDidIt]

2. Forgive me, it's the Terran Trekker in me

:evilgrin:

[Baclava]

14. Run away!

[MADem]

3. CBS says it might be a comet that did the damage

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/21/tech/main5176360.shtml

(AP) Astronomers say Jupiter has apparently been struck by an object, possibly a comet.

Images taken by NASA early Monday show a scar in the atmosphere near the south pole of the gas giant.

The images, taken by the space agency's infrared telescope in Hawaii, come on the 15th anniversary of another comet strike.

In 1994, Jupiter was bombarded by pieces of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.

Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena captured the new images after receiving a tip from an amateur astronomer the night before.

[WeDidIt]

5. Even more troubling if it was a comet

Comets are easier to find by the time they get close to Jupiter.

Asteroids are far more difficult to detect that far out.

[peekaloo]

4. Jupiteranus!

Yes, I'm immature.

[cbdo2007]

6. So...isn't Jupiter constantly getting hit with stuff?

This doesn't seem like any big news.

[pocoloco]

7. So is the earth, but the stuff is not very big.

Big stuff, big news!

[drm604]

8. It's interesting scientifically and in that sense it's big news,

but I don't think that it indicates any kind of increased threat to Earth like some people seem to think. I'm no scientist so maybe someone can explain to me why I'm wrong, but it strikes me that we should expect a huge gravity well like Jupiter to pull in all kinds of stuff on a regular basis.

[jakeXT]

9. Lots of people think that without Jupiter life on earth would be impossible due to the impacts

Besides pleasuring girls, like Europa he is still doing his job.

[Beetwasher]

11. Yup, It's The System's Vacuum Cleaner

Earth may have had much more impacts w/ out it, and humanity may never have been able to develop.

[Vidar]

18. Good point & nice mythological reference.

[Peace Patriot]

10. I hope all the Europians are safe! nt

[jakeXT]

12. He nearly missed it, because he wanted to watch sports

I was pleasantly surprised to find reasonable imaging conditions and so I decided to continue recording data until maybe 1am local time. By about midnight (12:10 am) the seeing had deteriorated and I was ready to quit. Indeed I had hovered the mouse over the exit button on my capture application (Coriander for Linux) and then changed my mind and decided instead to simply take a break for 30 minutes and then check back to see if the conditions had improved. It was a very near thing.

When I came back to the scope at about 12:40am I noticed a dark spot rotating into view in Jupiters south polar region started to get curious. When first seen close to the limb (and in poor conditions) it was only a vaguely dark spot, I thouht likely to be just a normal dark polar storm. However as it rotated further into view, and the conditions improved I suddenly realised that it wasn't just dark, it was black in all channels, meaning it was truly a black spot.

http://jupiter.samba.org/jupiter-impact.html

The Guardian reports that Mr. Wesley, who “spends about 20 hours a week on his passion of watching and photographing Jupiter,” almost missed making the discovery because he interrupted his work late on Sunday night to watch sports on television. Mr. Wesley told The Guardian:


http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/amateur-astronomer-finds-new-earth-size-impact-mark-on-jupiter/

[Baclava]

13. It'll be our turn in 2012 - my advice - buy on credit now.

The cosmic wheel is turning - no place to run, no place to hide.


Yea verily - I hath spoken.

[Mz Pip]

15. Better it than us.

Getting slammed by a comet would really ruin our day.

[PVnRT]

16. Actually, it's good we have Jupiter

It's a giant comet magnet. Some astronomers theorize that for a planet that can support life to have a civilization develop, it would need a large gravity well like Jupiter in the outer part of the system to "shield" it from comets and asteroids.

[Baclava]

17. But couldn't that gravity well also fling objects towards us?

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2009/04/the_closest_kuiper_belt_object.php