Jupiter hit by asteroid: Caught on camera by young Brazilian Astronomer

Jupiter, largest planet in our solar system, got battered again as a Brazilian observer Jose Luis Pereira captured a space rock diving into clouds of massive planet on September 13. According to Pereira’s interview with Space.com, Brazilian stated that he was able to capture event after setting up his equipment in souastern Brazilian state of São Paulo. Jupiter is known to be a target of space rocks owing to its proximity to asteroid belt. 

Capturing impact

As per Space.com’s report, Pereira memorialised impact in his camera as he captured a bright flash around massive Jupiter. Fortunately enough, he h set up his equipment to shoot and make videos of his favourite planet which he h planned to send to DeTeCt program. This program basically spots and characterise impacts on giant planet. 

Pereira reportedly captured a total of 25 videos of Jupiter with no time gap between any of m, despite wear being unfavourable. He said that initially, he didn’t pay much attention to an unusual glow on planet that was captured in first video itself and sent it to DeTeCt program. Pereira furr revealed that he came to know about incident in morning, after experts from program informed about probable impact Jupiter must have experienced. possibility was later confirmed by Marc Delcroix of French Astronomical Society about recording of an asteroid collision on Jupiter. 

Jupiter’s history with collisions

Jupiter has been vulnerable to collisions for a long time because of its extreme closeness to asteroid belt. asteroid belt is region that starts after fourth planet Mars. Besides, Jupiter also invites such collisions as its massively strong gravity attracts asteroids into itself. 

Among countless space rocks that have hit Jupiter, Comet Shoemaker Levy9 was an asteroid that pounded planet in 1994, leaving scars of impact on clouds of Jupiter, lasting for months. 15 years later, anor asteroid reportedly dived into Jupiter that caused a scar size of pacific ocean on planet’s clouds.

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