An amateur astronomer has captured the moment a space rock collided with Jupiter. The debris struck the gas giant, which is the solar system’s largest planet, at 6:39 pm EDT on Monday, creating a flash of light at its surface.
Heat spawned by high-speed charged particles slamming into the air above the poles spreads far
Four decades since their discovery we finally understand what’s powering the spectacular X-ray auroras of Jupiter. These light shows are bright, brief, and happen regularly every few minutes. And yet, they release hundreds of gigawatts of power, enough to power our whole civilization for a few instants.
Juno passed within 645 miles of Ganymede, the closest any spacecraft has come to the moon since 2000
It’s thought Jupiter’s moon Europa has more water under its icy crust than in all the seas on the surface of our planet. This liquid ocean has the interest of scientists because it is believed that water is key to life, making Europa a contender for the best place to look for life in the Solar System. Now a potential new feature on the moon is adding to this possibility. Models suggest the presence of seafloor volcanos.
Just as Earth has spectacular auroras, so too do other Solar System planets have their own versions of the atmospheric light show.
A comet impact in the 1990s is now providing insights into the incredibly powerful winds blowing above Jupiter’s cloud tops.
A very rare, once-in-a-lifetime celestial event will shine brightly in the sky on Monday evening – weather permitting, of course.
Get ready for 21 December 2020, when the “great conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn brings them closest in the night sky since 1623
Europa’s possible ‘ice glow’ could contain clues about its surface composition
