Another effect with Jupiter, this time observed in Japan. Images of a bright flash from a cosmic object have been published in the gas giant’s atmosphere in both visible and infrared light.
Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, orbits near the main asteroid belt and is characterized by a strong gravitational force, and thus falls victim to cosmic influences. In September, we reported seeing an amateur Brazilian astronomer who captured the flash left by an object when it collided with a gas giant.
Another discovery was made by astronomers in Japan on October 15 at 22.24 local time. The published images show a bright flash in the atmosphere of the planet’s northern hemisphere, possibly due to an asteroid impact. A team of researchers led by astronomer Ko Arimatsu of Kyoto University confirmed that an event of this kind is visible in them.
In visible and infrared light
The first observation of the flash of light as a result of a collision with Jupiter was made in visible and infrared light, and automated telescopes organized for the Cochineal Event Survey, to which Arimatsu belongs, were confirmed on Twitter.
“The flash appears to have lasted a long time,” said one observer.
Effects on Jupiter
The impact on Jupiter observed on October 15 is the ninth since comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 struck in 1994. Its fragments then left traces in the planet’s dense atmosphere for several months. This provided an opportunity to research and learn more about the composition of the gas giant’s atmosphere.
According to some studies, objects with a diameter of at least 45 meters strike the largest planet in the solar system every few months, but even the most accurate monitoring programs for these events may be able to detect only one impact each year, points out Space.com.
Main image source: Ko Arimatsu / Kyoto University
