Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact on Jupiter 32 years ago

Thirty-two years ago, between July 16 and 22, 1994, many earthly observers looked on as Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) struck the giant planet Jupiter. Astronomers saw the comet leave visible scars that lingered for months on Jupiter's cloudtops. People around the world followed this event. And scientists later learned that the comet supplied water to Jupiter's atmosphere. According to NASA, the water was still detected in 2019.

What happened

Astronomers Carolyn Shoemaker, her husband Eugene Shoemaker and David Levy discovered SL9 orbiting Jupiter on March 24, 1993. It was the first comet observed orbiting a planet rather than the sun. Orbital studies showed that the comet passed within Jupiter's Roche limit in July 1992. The planet's tidal forces pulled the comet apart into (at least) 21 fragments. Astronomers soon learned that SL9's orbit would pass within Jupiter in July 1994. Then, the comet would collide with the giant planet near 44 degrees south latitude.

The impacts were observed and recorded by various spacecraft, including the Galileo spacecraft, which captured a series of photographs showing the appearance of a fireball on the dark side of Jupiter due to the collision between Fragment W of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and Jupiter.

Why it matters

The Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact provided valuable insights into Jupiter's atmosphere and the effects of cometary collisions. The comet's impact left visible scars on Jupiter's cloudtops that lingered for months. Moreover, scientists observed emission from water vapor during the fireball phase of the SL9 impacts. Later, in 1997, the ESA Infrared Space Observatory detected water vapor in the stratosphere of Jupiter, likely as a consequence of the SL9 impact.

How to think about it

The Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact on Jupiter highlights the complex and dynamic nature of our solar system. Cometary collisions can have significant effects on planetary atmospheres and surfaces, and continued research is needed to understand these events and their implications.

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