Jupiter got slammed by something so big we saw it from Earth

An amateur astronomer caught something spectacular with a backyard telescope Wednesday when he recorded a bright flash on the surface of Jupiter. The biggest planet in the solar system routinely delivers stunning pictures, like those snapped by NASA's Juno spacecraft, but the unexpected flash has astronomers excited at the possibility of a meteor impact.

Ethan Chappel pointed his telescope at the gas giant planet at just the right time, capturing the white spot seen on the lower left side of the planet in the above images on Aug. 7.

Jupiter just got slammed by something so big we saw it from Earth

This has not been confirmed by a second observation. The bright spot is said to be the flash of an impact of a meteor on the surface of the planet. The bright spot is about the size of the Earth.

Kind of interesting that you would actually see the flash like that through the clouds on the planet. Unless of course, if the gasses were actually flammable and the meteor contained oxygen to help fuel the flash.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Thanks for posting this LaM



Reminds me of Schumacher Levy back in '94 just with only 1 impact, or perhaps there might be more to come if it is also a broken up comet...

a reply to: rickymouse

They say it was an impact because it was only seen briefly and then was gone. Could it be an object in orbit that caught the light of the sun for only a brief moment?

originally posted by: Diaspar
a reply to: LookingAtMars

Thanks for posting this LaM

Reminds me of Schumacher Levy back in '94 just with only 1 impact, or perhaps there might be more to come if it is also a broken up comet...

This has been the 7th impact since Comet Shoemaker-Levy and the only one in the last 2 years.

a reply to: rickymouse

If the object was moving fast enough it's Kinetic Energy would convert to heat at impact. Depending on the contents of Jupiter's atmosphere that heat could have converted it to plasma.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

It will be interesting to see if Juno was in the right position to capture this event.
We would then get some really good images...

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: rickymouse

If the object was moving fast enough it's Kinetic Energy would convert to heat at impact. Depending on the contents of Jupiter's atmosphere that heat could have converted it to plasma.

If it does convert to heat at impact. Do you think it might produce a noticeable from Earth effect in the atmosphere/gasses over time, on Jupiter?

originally posted by: Diaspar
a reply to: LookingAtMars

It will be interesting to see if Juno was in the right position to capture this event.
We would then get some really good images...

If NASA knew it was coming I am sure they would at least try to get pics. The odds have got to be a million to one for them to catch it by mistake.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Beats me. I'm a Mechanical Engineer not an Astrophysicist. I was reading up on explosively formed penetrators and found out about the plasma thing.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Kind of interesting that you would actually see the flash like that through the clouds on the planet. Unless of course, if the gasses were actually flammable and the meteor contained oxygen to help fuel the flash.

Do you think oxygen is the only gas that burns?

a reply to: JIMC5499

I think something could show up in images over the next week or so. That is a lot of energy put into the atmosphere, but I am not an Astrophysicist either

originally posted by: Alien Abduct

originally posted by: rickymouse
Kind of interesting that you would actually see the flash like that through the clouds on the planet. Unless of course, if the gasses were actually flammable and the meteor contained oxygen to help fuel the flash.

Do you think oxygen is the only gas that burns?

O2 makes other things burn, but I am not a chemist.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

That’s cool.
I was eyeballing Jupiter last night.
You can see the moons right now with a pair of binoculars.

Cool picture!

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Could it be an object in orbit that caught the light of the sun for only a brief moment?

That close to Jupiter ?
No.
But if it was , that would explain the brief moment part.
Very brief

a reply to: LookingAtMars

A bit off topic, but what sort of backyard telescope captures images like this? Must be in the very large $$$.. sucks to be me, I can barely see anything..

With a telescope..

Interesting though!

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: LookingAtMars

That’s cool.
I was eyeballing Jupiter last night.
You can see the moons right now with a pair of binoculars.

That's as best as I get also. It is cool. And that's with a $300 scope.. lol

Should have gone to specsavers.. haha

a reply to: gallop

I have a cheap scope also.
But I find myself using my bino’s more often.
My wife got me a pair of Skymaster Celestron 15 x 75’s for my bday.
They can mount on a tripod, but I just lay back in the beach chair on the deck and peep around.

Actually the other day I was standing on my back deck looking out over Lake Superior.
My neighbors house is in line of view and they have a 18 year old daughter.
I’m standing there on my deck peering threw the bino’s. The neighbor girl - Unknown to me is laying in the hammock sun tanning.
My wife comes out side And sees me in what she interprets as full on predator mode hahaha.

I laughed so hard when I realized the girl was out there and the wife asked what the hell I was doing.

That really does not look like photos from an amateur astronomer with a back yard telescope. Or at least not the kind of back yard scope most people might be thinking of. That would likely be a very expensive setup for an amateur.