Utopia Talk / Politics / Earth-Size Mystery Scar On Jupiter

hoER rank	Tue Jul 21 15:01:42 2009 Mystery impact leaves Earth-size mark on Jupiter STORY HIGHLIGHTS Amateur astronomer spots new mark on solar system's largest planet NASA confirms discovery is result of object crashing into Jupiter's atmosphere Scientists say object could be a block of ice or a wandering comet Object has left scar the size of Earth in Jupiter's southern polar region (CNN) -- Jupiter is sporting a new scar after a mystery object hit the gaseous planet this week, NASA scientists say. This NASA image shows a large impact near Jupiter's southern pole. 1 of 2 An amateur astronomer in Australia noticed the new mark on the planet Sunday and tipped off scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, who then confirmed it was the result of a new impact, NASA said. It's not clear what the object was that crashed into Jupiter's poisonous atmosphere. Glenn Orton, a JPL scientist, told the magazine New Scientist that it could have been a block of ice from somewhere in Jupiter's neighborhood, or a wandering comet that was too faint for astronomers to have detected before impact. "We were extremely lucky to be seeing Jupiter at exactly the right time, the right hour, the right side of Jupiter to witness the event. We couldn't have planned it better," Orton said in a NASA interview. Scientists also don't know how large the object was, but the impact scar it created is about the same size as Earth, JPL astronomer Leigh Fletcher told the magazine. It is only the second time scientists have been able to observe such an impact on Jupiter. The first happened 15 years ago, when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 broke into 21 pieces and hit the planet's atmosphere. "Given the rarity of these events, it's extremely exciting to be involved in these observations," Fletcher said in a NASA interview. Thermal images taken by NASA also showed a bright spot where the impact took place, which meant the crash warmed the lower atmosphere in that area, New Scientist said. Researchers also found hints of higher-than-normal amounts of ammonia in the upper atmosphere. The Shoemaker-Levy comet also churned up extra ammonia, the magazine said. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest in our solar system. Its colorful atmosphere is 86 percent hydrogen and 14 percent helium, with tiny amounts of methane, ammonia, phosphine, water, acetylene, ethane, germanium, and carbon monoxide. The chemicals are responsible for producing the different colors of Jupiter's clouds. The temperature at the top of those clouds is about -145 degrees Celsius (-230 degrees Fahrenheit), but far hotter near the planet's center. There, the core temperature may be about 24,000 degrees Celsius (43,000 degrees Fahrenheit), hotter than the surface of the sun. The most outstanding feature on Jupiter's surface is the Great Red Spot, a storm of gas that swirls at a speed of about 360 kilometers (225 miles) per hour at its edge. The diameter of the spot is about three times that of Earth. cnn
Hot Rod rank	Tue Jul 21 15:11:56 2009 What the hell you dickhead. Do you expect us to go through every page on CNN's website to verify the truth of this story? How do we know you didn't write it yourself. SHOW A LITTLE COMMON COURTESY, and post a link. Fucking moron.
RiverOfAmericanBlood rank	Tue Jul 21 15:19:45 2009 Googling the results brings up several sights that have printed the story. I doubt it was a comet though, probably just the vanguard of an alien invasion force testing out their weapons systems before proceeding to earth. Nothing to really worry about.
pillz rank	Tue Jul 21 17:03:55 2009 hot rod lost it!
Cthulhu rank	Tue Jul 21 17:07:49 2009 Hot Rod losses it everytime his midol runs out
hoER rank	Tue Jul 21 17:10:45 2009 Poor old fellah lol
Smoking Rod rank	Tue Jul 21 18:06:11 2009 Why don't you people show some RESPECT Manners are on the decline nowadays I remember *back in the day*, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we didn't use that kind of language. KEEP IT CLEAN, FOLKS.
Nimatzo85412 rank	Sun Feb 05 08:55:32 2012 love word think house leave quick see !
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