images

Hubble Space Telescope image of SL-9 comet impacts on Jupiter

by

Nasa/Novapix

Reference

a-jup02-70002

Date

2006-10-02

This image of the giant planet Jupiter, by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, reveals the impact sites of fragments D and G from Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.  The large feature was created by the impact of fragment G on July18, 1994 at 3:28 a.m. EDT.  It entered Jupiter's atmosphere from the south at a 45-degree angle, and the resulting ejecta appears to have been thrown back along that direction.  The smaller feature to the left of the fragment G impact site was created on July 17, 1994, at 7:45 a.m. EDT by the impact of fragment D. This image was taken 1 hour and 45 minutes after fragment G impacted the planet.