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Another hit on Jupiter

15 September 2012
Astronomy

At www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/09/-fireball-on-jupiter-so-large-and-… … it was so bright and prominent that amateur astronomers spotted the flash and another filmed it (see also www.spaceweather.com). A video of the flash can be viewed – thought to be a small comet or asteroid striking the atmosphere of Jupiter. This is the fourth strike since July 2009 when amateur astronomers spotted an anomaly the size of the Pacific Ocean in the cloud tops of Jupiter following an asteroid strike. Two more impacts were seen in 2010. The Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter as long ago as 1994 (see www.space.com/17534-jupiter-impact-explosion-amateur-astronomers.html

At http://cosmictusk.com George Howard says the latest impact throws open the question as to how common these events occur – as they are happening a lot more often than scientists allow.

At www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/09/the-rings-of-jupiter-.html …  it is asked if Shoemaker-Levy 9 disrupted the rings of Jupiter as they have an odd waving pattern. It is being suggested that something disrupted the rings in 1990 as well as 1994 – another impact event?

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