How often does Shoemaker-Levy 9 appear?

By far the most massive planet in the Solar System, Jupiter can capture objects relatively frequently, but the size of SL9 makes it a rarity: one post-impact study estimated that comets 0.3 km (0.19 mi) in diameter impact the planet once in approximately 500 years and those 1.6 km (0.99 mi) in diameter do so just once …

What WHO is Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 named after?

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (named after its discoverers Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy) collided with Jupiter in the first ever observed collision between two objects in our solar system.

What were the results of the impacts of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiter?

The impacts proved to be impressive: The fragments – some 21 in all – plunged into Jupiter’s atmosphere over the course of six days. At impact, they were traveling at a speed of about 37 miles/second (60 km/second), heating the atmosphere to at least 53,000 degrees Fahrenheit or 30,000 degrees Celsius.

How was Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9?

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was the ninth short-periodic comet discovered by Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy. It was first detected on a photograph taken on the night of March 24, 1993 with the 0.4-meter Schmidt telescope on Palomar Mountain in California.

What was the impact of Shoemaker Levy 9?

While the impact was dramatic, it was more than a show. It gave scientists an opportunity to gain new insights into Jupiter, Shoemaker-Levy 9 and cosmic collisions in general. Researchers were able to deduce the composition and structure of the comet. The collision also left dust floating on the top of Jupiter’s clouds.

When was Shoemaker Levy 9 discovered by NASA?

Discovery Shoemaker-Levy 9 was discovered by Carolyn and Gene Shoemaker and David Levy in a photograph taken on Mar. 18, 1993 with the 0.4-meter Schmidt telescope at Mt. Palomar. Overview his composite is assembled from separate images of Jupiter and comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, as imaged by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 1994.

When did Shoemaker Levy 9 crash into Jupiter?

his composite is assembled from separate images of Jupiter and comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, as imaged by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 1994. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was captured by the gravity of Jupiter, torn apart and then crashed into the giant planet in July 1994.

When did Comet Shoemaker Levy 9 break up?

Fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 lined up along the comet’s orbital path, in a composite of images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1994. A close encounter with Jupiter in 1992 broke up the comet’s single nucleus into more than 20 pieces, which subsequently assumed their notable “string-of-pearls” appearance.