Amateur Japanese astronomer captures bright flash in Jupiter's atmosphere

An amateur astronomer in Japan captured a bright flash in Jupiter’s atmosphere, leading to further investigation by scientists. According to a report by The New York Times (NYT) on Friday (September 15), the astronomer, who remains unidentified, sent an email to Dr Ko Arimatsu, an astronomer at Kyoto University. Upon receiving the email, Dr Arimatsu put a call out for more information.

Arimatsu received six more reports of the August 28 flash which is one of the brightest ever recorded on Jupiter. Flashes like these are caused by asteroids or comets from the edges of the solar system which impact Jupiter's atmosphere

In an email, Arimatsu said that the direct observation of these bodies was virtually impossible, even with advanced telescopes. The astronomer added that Jupiter's gravity lures in these objects which eventually slam into the planet, making it a unique and invaluable tool for studying them directly.

The previous impacts

As per the NYT report, powerful impacts into Jupiter are a lot more rare currently, but they do occur. In 1994, a comet whacked the planet with so much force that it left a visible debris field. Another impact was seen in 2009.

Dr Arimatsu said that eight of the nine flashes seen in Jupiter since 2010 were reported by amateur astronomers. He emphasised the importance of small-scale astronomy initiatives.

As per his initial analyses, the flash reported on August 28 this year had an impact comparable to the 1908 Tunguska explosion in Siberia, which experts believe was an asteroid that ripped apart 800 square miles of forest.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE