A cosmic body bigger than the Earth just collided with Jupiter. Here's what happened
Jupiter
Jupiter isn't just another gas blob floating in space in our Solar System. It is the biggest planet that revolves around the sun. It is also the only planet in the Solar System which came close to being a star. Thankfully for us, it didn't.
But this is not the only good thing about Jupiter. The gas giant, along with Saturn, is believed by scientists to be actively protecting the inner planets in the Solar System.
More on this in a short while.
A celestial body has collided with Jupiter. It was a small celestial body compared to the gigantic size of Jupiter but it is likely to be proportionally bigger when compared with Earth.
Space.com has reported that the collision took place at 1:45 amJapan Standard Time on Aug. 29.
An account associated with the Organised Autotelescopes for Serendipitous Event Survey (OASES) project and the Planetary Observation Camera for Optical Transient Surveys (PONCOTS) system posted about the collision on X (formerly Twitter).
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The collision caused a tiny flash in Jupiter's atmosphere.
An account named 'MASA Planetary Log' later posted footage on X that showed a brief burst of light associated with the collision.
Another independent observation was made by am amateur astronomer in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou in Henan province.
The OASES account on X posted a high-res image of Jupiter at the time of the collision.
This brings us back to the discussion on how Jupiter protects the inner solar system and may even be responsible for flourishing life on Earth.
The huge gravity of Jupiter attracts asteroids and comets that are hurtling towards the inner Solar System, perhaps on a collision course with some planet (even Earth!). These space rocks may be huge by our perception but when compared to Jupiter, they are pretty tiny. So the gas giant gobbles them up like its nobody's business and continues on its path around the Sun as if nothing major has happened, and plays our protector in a way.
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE