Space Jr. » solar system http://www.spacejr.com Space facts, teacher resources, coloring pages, and science fiction for kids Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:41:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Jupiter Hit by Comet – Leaves Scar the Size of Earth! http://www.spacejr.com/jupiter-hit-by-comet/ http://www.spacejr.com/jupiter-hit-by-comet/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:41:56 +0000 Wendy Piersall http://www.spacejr.com/?p=1693 You might have heard the incredibly interesting news that Jupiter was hit by a comet recently. A comet so large, in fact, that it left an impact area on the big planet the size of Earth!

Comet Hits Jupiter

Comet Hits Jupiter

A large comet or asteroid has slammed into the Jupiter, creating an impact site the size of Earth, pictures by an Australian amateur astronomer show.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed the discovery using its large infrared telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, said computer programer Anthony Wesley, 44, who discovered the impact zone while stargazing at home.

It turns out that Anthony Wesley is the one that told NASA and other leading astronomers about it – and he found it on his own amateur telescope! How cool is that?

Read the full story from Reuters ->

]]> http://www.spacejr.com/jupiter-hit-by-comet/feed/ 0