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Reflector Book Review:
Jupiter Chronicle:
The Crash of 1994
Category: Science of Astronomy
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Jupiter Chronicle: The Crash of 1994
by Phillip W. Budine,
A.L.P.O. Jupiter Recorder
R.D. #3, Box 145C
Walton NY 13856
Price $10 postage prepaid
"This is a unique event in astronomical
history. Never before have we had the chance to observe
a predicted impact."
These were the words of A.L.P.O. Director,
John Westfall, concerning the collision comet Shoemaker/Levy
9 (1993e) will have with Jupiter in mid-July of this
year. A.L.P.O., the Association of Lunar and Planetary
Observers, is going all out to get as much observing
evidence as possible, which fact motivated the publication
of a 36 page booklet by Phillip Budine, their Jupiter
recorder.
The comet was observed as a string
of objects, and by playing its orbit backwards in time,
it was determined to have come within slightly under
9,000 miles of Jupiter cloud tops, according to the
latest estimates, on July 8, l992. This close encounter,
causing the comet to break up to at least 22 pieces,
will turn into a string of real encounters over a period
of 5 1/2 days starting on July 16.
The booklet treats all possible ways
amateurs can observe Jupiter, from the simple visual
through the more complex: photometric and even radio.
In the visual arena, they not only include drawings,
strip sketches and central meridian transits with their
standard forms included, but suggest a whole gamut of
things to look for, both directly and with instruments.
Unfortunately, the impacts all occur on the backside,
but close enough to the limb that Jupiter will bring
the sites around to visibility within about 1/2 an hour
after impact. The author and Westfall suggest some of
the phenomena which may occur on or near the planet:
- Fireballs, perhaps as bright as 4 magnitude.
- Bright clouds or dark blue clouds caused
by vortex effect.
- Overall brightening of the whole planet,
by perhaps two magnitudes.
- Dust plumes against the clouds or projected
from the limb.
- Dust ring(s) formed around planet.
- Auroral glow, probably visible near limb.
- Bright reflections from satellites.
- Radio bursts.
- Shock or gravity waves.
This last one is a most intriguing
possiblity: that the whole surface might reveal, especially
through the larger aperature telescopes, a wave emanating
from the point of impact and spreading radially across
the whole planet. To quote Westfall, who contributed
to this booklet: "It will take several Jove days to
cover the planet, and may go around several times."
At the end of the booklet is included
addresses of where to send observations, and A.L.P.O.'s
Jupiter Section offers a monthly (or more often) "Encounter
Newsletter" for a postpaid subscription fee of $5.00.
Join the excitement!
Rollin P. Van Zandt
AL Publications Chairman.
Reviewed in the May 1994 issue.
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