[meteorite-list] Amateurs Observe Another Impact on Jupiter

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 13:47:02 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201006042047.o54Kl2jV026138_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=9918

Another impact on Jupiter
Amateur astronomers detect another hit on the giant planet.
Michael E. Bakich
Astronomy Magazine
June 4, 2010

Planetary imager and longtime Astronomy magazine contributor
Christopher Go from Cebu, Philippines, and amateur astronomer Anthony
Wesley from Murrumbateman, Australia, have captured yet another impact
on Jupiter. The fireball appeared in the giant planet's atmosphere June
3 at 20h30m Universal Time (4:30 P.M. EDT).

In an e-mail to Astronomy that includes impact images and even a
video, Go writes, "Today was supposed to be a routine imaging run.
Seeing [a measure of atmospheric steadiness] was perfect. The boring
side of Jupiter [the one away from the Great Red Spot] was facing Earth.
On my second image sequence using a blue filter, I luckily imaged an
impact. I did not see this when it happened, but Anthony Wesley saw this
in Australia. Anthony sent an alert on this suspected impact and I was
able to confirm this with my video."

This impact occurred within Jupiter's recently faded South Equatorial
Belt. Go said that this is good timing because it will make it easier to
find a dark remnant from the blast, if one appears. He finished his e-mail by
saying, "I would like congratulate my friend Anthony Wesley for having
such a sharp eye on this historic find!"

Jupiter has been the target of several impactors within the last two
decades. In July 1994, 21 fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit the
planet. More recently, a 0.3-mile-wide (0.5 kilometer) asteroid struck
Jupiter July 18, 2009
<http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=9919>. Wesley also was
the first to spot that impact, which galvanized the astronomical
community into studying the collision site.
Received on Fri 04 Jun 2010 04:47:02 PM PDT