Shoemaker–Levy 9...

Описание: (c) 2026 by Another Reality Videos

The 1994 impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) into Jupiter's "chemical soup" was indeed a spectacular display of extreme energy and chemical transformation. If you could have witnessed it from nearby, you would have seen a series of events that combined blinding light, towering plumes, and the creation of entirely new chemical compounds.

 

1. Blinding Fireballs and Plumes 

The Initial Flash: As fragments hit the atmosphere at 60 km/s (37 miles/s), they generated fireballs with temperatures reaching up to 40,000°C (72,000°F). For a few seconds, these flashes were as bright as the entire planet Jupiter.

Towering Plumes: These explosions sent massive plumes of debris and gas shooting 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) above the cloud tops. These plumes were larger than the Earth and were clearly visible over the horizon. 

2. A "Chemical Feast" 

The impact acted as a giant laboratory, mixing cometary materials with Jupiter's deep atmospheric layers. 

Dredged-up Chemicals: The explosions acted like "dredges," pulling up materials from deep beneath Jupiter's ammonia clouds that are normally hidden. This included sulfur compounds like diatomic sulfur
which gave the impact sites a distinct chemical signature.

Shock-Induced Reactions: The intense heat and pressure of the shockwaves created new molecules not typically found on Jupiter. Scientists detected carbon monoxide (CO), carbonyl sulfide, and hydrogen cyanide.

Cometary Metals: The comet contributed its own "flavor" to the mix, depositing metals like iron and magnesium directly into Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. 

3. The Visual "Scars" 

Dark Soot Clouds: Instead of the colorful reds and whites of Jupiter’s normal clouds, the chemical reactions produced massive amounts of dark, "sooty" material (likely complex organic polymers or sulfur-rich compounds).

Earth-Sized Bruises: These dark "scars" or "bruises" were so large—some larger than Earth—that they remained visible in amateur telescopes for months as Jupiter's winds slowly dispersed them. 

4. Glowing Infrared "Main Event" 

If you were observing in the infrared spectrum, the view would have been even more dramatic. The "main event" occurred when the ejected plume material crashed back down into the atmosphere, heating the stratosphere and causing it to glow intensely with heat for several minutes. 

The impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was far from silent, but whether you could hear it depended entirely on where you were "standing."

1. In Jupiter's Atmosphere: A Deafening Roar
If you were floating within Jupiter’s clouds, the sound would have been catastrophic.

Massive Shockwaves: The fragments entered the atmosphere at 60 km/s (37 miles/s), which is roughly 50 times the speed of sound in Jupiter's hydrogen atmosphere.

Sonic Booms: Each fragment would have created an immense sonic boom and a shockwave that compressed the surrounding "chemical soup."
Deafening Volume: Given Jupiter’s thick, high-pressure atmosphere, sound travels much more efficiently than on Earth. The explosion of a large fragment (like Fragment G) would have produced a roar louder than anything experienced on Earth, likely exceeding 200 decibels at a close distance.

2. In Space: Absolute Silence
If you were watching from a nearby spacecraft (like the Galileo probe), the entire event would have happened in complete silence.
Vacuum of Space: Sound waves are mechanical vibrations that require a medium (like gas or water) to travel. Because space is a vacuum, the energy of the explosion had no way to reach your ears.
No "Bang": You would have seen the blinding flash of the fireball and the massive plume rising thousands of kilometers, but there would be no audible sound accompanying the visual spectacle.

3. "Radio Sounds" (The Exception)
While there was no physical sound in space, scientists did "hear" the impact using radio telescopes.
Radio Emissions: The impact caused a sharp increase in radio waves emitted by Jupiter's magnetosphere.
Translation to Audio: NASA often translates these electromagnetic frequencies into audible sounds through a process called "sonification." If you listen to these recordings, the impact would sound like eerie crackling, whistles, or static, similar to how lightning sounds on an AM radio.

4. Vibrations (Seismic "Sound")
The impact also sent massive waves rippling through Jupiter’s atmosphere at speeds of 450 m/s (1,000 mph). If you were deep inside the planet, these would not just be "heard" as sound but felt as planet-wide seismic vibrations, similar to a massive earthquake.