UT: Viewing Alert: Jupiter Impacted by Fireball

[bystander]

Jupiter May Have Been Impacted by a Fireball
Universe Today | Nancy Atkinson | 2012 Sep 10

UPDATE: Yes, there was an impact! An amateur astronomer in Dallas Texas, George Hall captured the impact flash in his webcam at about 6:30 am on Sept. 10, 2012.

[url=http://twitpic.com/ata7z9][b][i]Credit: Pete Lawrence @Avertedvision[/i][/b][/url]

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From astronomer Heidi Hammel of the Space Science Institute comes news about a potential new impact on Jupiter. She reports there has been a visual sighting of an apparent fireball on Jupiter earlier today (about 10 hours ago, as of this posting) so the impact site should be visible again over the next few hours. According to amateur astronomers discussing this on G+, the impact area on Jupiter won’t be visible again until about 05:00 UTC, (01:00 EDT). The amateur who observed the flash reported it to Richard Schmude of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO). Hammel says the report sounds realistic, but obviously it needs confirmation if possible: a) by looking for any ‘impact scar’ tonight or over the next few days; b) by searching any webcam video that any observers might have been recording at the time. From the time and position given, the flash was on the North Equatorial Belt at approximately L1=335, L2=219, L3=257. “Let’s hope someone has a record of it!” Hammel says.

[bystander]

Watch Jupiter Get Hit in the Original HD Video
Universe Today | Jason Major | 2012 Sep 11

Suspected Asteroid Smashes into Jupiter
Discovery News | Irene Klotz | 2012 Sep 11

Fresh Jupiter impact may aid solar system census
New Scientist | Lisa Grossman | 2012 Sep 12

A Fresh Impact on Jupiter
NASA | Astrobiology Magazine | 2012 Sep 14

Jupiter gets rocked by an impact again
Discover Blogs | Bad Astronomy | 2012 Sep 17

[bystander]

What Caused the Recent Explosion at Jupiter?
Universe Today | Nancy Atkinson | 2012 Sep 21

A bright flash was spotted on Jupiter early on the morning of September 10, 2012, and astronomers were hoping to later see an impact “scar” which would provide more information about the object that slammed into the giant gas planet. Was it a comet, asteroid or a smaller meteor? But alas, no impact scar or debris field showed up on Jupiter’s face and the nature of this explosion may remain a mystery.

[Beyond]

Maybe a small pocket of gas got rubbed the wrong way and went off. Or, a more usual explanation for some, a U.F.O. crash, of one sort or another.