The Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision

The Shoemaker-Levy 9 collision was a significant event in astronomy where a large comet, broken into fragments, crashed into Jupiter in July 1994. This collision was caused by the comet, originally passing near Jupiter, being pulled apart by the planet's gravity. The fragments then collided with Jupiter’s atmosphere at high speeds, creating massive explosions and scars visible as dark spots. This event provided valuable insights into planetary atmospheres and demonstrates the dynamic interactions within our solar system, highlighting the potential impact of celestial objects on planets.