Fragment R impact on Jupiter

MIRAC2 images at 7.85, 10.3, and 12.2 microns have been used to construct a
'true-color' image in which warm emissions are blue and cool emissions are red.
The images were made from the IRTF around 6 UT July 21. The R plume is visible 
on the limb and is clearly hot compared to the rest of the Jupiter disk. The K
and L impact sites (K approaching the evening terminator) are clearly warmer
than the surrounding atmosphere. Whether this is due to an albedo effect (of
the dark dust/soot associated with these sites) or whether we are sounding to
depths similar to the warmer bands on either side of the equator is not 
determined at this time. 

MIRAC team members include D. Hunten [1], A. Sprague [1], M. Marley [2], 
W. Hoffmann [3], K. Wells [1], M. Sykes [3], L. Deutsch [4], J. Hora [5], 
A. Dayal [3], D. Demming [6], G. Orton [7], P. Yanamandra-Fisher [7], 
J. Friedson [7], K. Baines [7], J. Harrington [8], T. Dowling [8], and 
H. Hammel [8].
 
[1] Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona,
[2] New Mexico State University
[3] Steward Observatory, University of Arizona
[4] Five Colleges Astronomy Dept., University of Mass.,
[5] Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii
[6] NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
[7] Jet Propulsion Lab
[8] Massachusetts Institute of Technology

W. M. KECK TELESCOPE CAPTURES IMPACT OF FRAGMENT-R ON JULY 21 5:30
UNIVERSAL TIME.

The image shows a three by three time sequence of frames from a movie
which records the flash (frames 2 & 4)  and fireball (frames 6 through
8) due to the impact of SL-9 fragment R on Jupiter. Time runs from left
to right, and top to bottom. Each frame last for 4 seconds.

The images were observed in the infrared at a wavelength of 2.3 microns.


Photo credit: W. M. Keck Observatory/ Imke de Pater, James
R. Graham, Garrett Jernigan UC-Berkeley.

For extra information contact: A. Perala, Keck Observatory,
808-885-7887