Date: Sat, 7 Oct 1995 13:23:03 +0059 (BST) From: "John Rogers (Physiol)" Subject: Visible appearance of impact belt in 1995
As an update on the visible appearance of the SL9 impact latitudes recently, here is an excerpt from a short interim report on Jupiter in 1995 which I am sending to the International Jupiter Watch. The description is derived from hi-res colour CCD images by Isao Miyazaki (global coverage to Aug.10, & a few images to Sep.15) and Don Parker (images to July 17, mainly of the GRS side).
The dark impact belt is no longer clearly recognisable. It was still prominent at least half way round the planet in April-May, when it spanned System II longitudes 130-320 in Miyazaki's images, but in its its colour and outline it was not obviously different from a strong (S)SSTB. As mentioned in previous bulletins, we suspect that the impact smoke had mostly settled into the normal belt clouds. The very dark belt both prograded and shortened in June. There were smallscale rapid changes which we have not yet analysed in detail; for instance, a long dark streak which we believe was impact belt extended south of the GRS in May/June, but quickly broke up and faded between July 5 and 10. Since July, there has been no distinct impact belt, just many narrow belt segments in the far southern latitudes which do not look unusual.
John Rogers, British Astronomical Association
1995 October 6
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