Jupiter Has Taken a Massive Meteor Hit (So Earth Didn’t Have To)

Gizmodo ^ | 9/12/12 | Jamie Condliffe

[SunkenCiv]

Devastating Impact On Jupiter 9-10-2012

[Fledermaus]

Jupiter is our friend. All we have to do is leave Europa alone.

[SunkenCiv]

Well said!

Most of the objects which encounter Jupiter get tossed and more often than not leave the Solar System; a much smaller number have their trajectories altered by the big planet such that they will eventually smash into the planet — such was the case with SL9, and probably with this object as well; a tiny fraction wind up encountering Jupiter once or more than once, and their trajectories altered such that they wind up in orbit around it during a future encounter. Jupiter has more than 60 moons, with many of them in retrograde.

Before anyone brings it up as if it’s some kind of cutting criticism, the size of those retrograde moons is entirely beside the point.

Anyway, it’s almost as if the whole thing is a series of random encounters by a inanimate objects. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Another ‘extra, extra’ to APoD members — and pretty soon I’ll catch up on the *actual* APoD posts. [blush]

[left that other site]

Good Ol’ Jupiter.

Not just a big useless gasbag after all.

[cripplecreek]

and pretty soon I’ll catch up on the *actual* APoD posts. [blush]

Sure thing Mr President. LOL

[SunkenCiv]

Ow!

[SunkenCiv]

The 20th anniversary of the SL-9 impact is coming up this year.