The Great Comet Crash

The impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter, 16-22 July 1994

Contents

• Foreword [2 pages]
• 1. Introduction
  Brief overview of the discovery of the comet, build-up to the impacts, outcome, significance. [2 pages] Jacqueline Mitton
• 2. A comet like no other
  Discovery of Comet S-L 9. Nature and origin of comets. Comet orbits. Perturbation and capture of comets by Jupiter. [6 pages] Jacqueline Mitton
• 3. From doom to destruction
  Tracing back to the break up of the comet, prior to discovery. Predicting the circumstances of the impacts. [4 pages]
• 4. The giant target
  The nature of the planet Jupiter. [8 pages] John Spencer (Flagstaff Observatory)
• 5. Bangs or whimpers?
  Theoretical predictions of the physical effects of the impacts. [4 pages]
• 6. The international Jupiter watch
  How professional astronomers planned and coordinated their observing programmes. [4 pages]
• 7. The string of pearls
  Evolution of the comet from discovery to impact and interpretation of its appearance. [8 pages]
• 8. The great crash
  A collection of images of the impacts on Jupiter from a wide range of sources, including some amateur. Grouped into themes, some showing time sequences, others showing comparisons in different wavebands of the spectrum. Images explained in extended captions. [36 - 48 pages] Principal investigators from major observing teams
• 9. Wiser after the event?
  Early interpretations of the observations. [8 pages] John Spencer (Flagstaff Observatory)
• 10. What if...?
  Impacts through the history of the solar system. Present frequency of different kinds of impacts. Is there a threat to Earth? [4 pages] Index [2 pages]

Illustrations

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