Astronomers keeping an eye on the gas giant Jupiter were left surprised when a large unknown object appeared to have hit the planet. At the time, many astronomers were observing an ongoing transit of the shadow of Io, one of Jupiter’s moons, according to SpaceWeather.com. Suddenly a “bright flash of light” appeared, German astrophotographer Harald Paleske told the news outlet. “It could only be an impact,” he said.
Other astronomers across the globe also saw and captured images of the event, which was confirmed by professional astronomers as well. Paleske told SpaceWeather.com the object was observed at 106.9 degrees latitude, and +3.8 degrees longitude. His images hint that the flash was visible for around two seconds.
Astronomers looking for dark matter
The exact origin of the flash and the nature of the object that caused it are still unclear. However, it is safe to assume that the fireball is a part of an asteroid. Astronomers are now trying to find dark matter and other signs of disruption on Jupiter’s surface – telltale signs that a space rock did indeed hit the gas giant.
Astronomers are no strangers to seeing objects hitting the gas giant in real-time. NASA data analyzed in 2019 shows that earlier in the solar system’s history, Jupiter might have gobbled up an entire planet. One notable example was when Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter in July 1994, as per NASA.
Life on Earth possible because of Jupiter
The crash left a massive trail of debris and dark marks. It also sparked a theory that life has been able to foster on Earth because Jupiter sucks up so many harmful space objects that would otherwise decimate the planet’s surface.
Previously, scientists were unable to explain how Jupiter produces bursts of X-rays every few minutes. But now, scientists from the University College London might have unfolded this mystery. The X-rays are a part of the planet’s aurora, visible bursts of light that appear when charged particles interact with its atmosphere. It is the same phenomenon that creates the northern lights on Earth.
