Telescope Images Show Object Slamming Jupiter

Jupiter takes a hit to the dome, and while it might not look like much, astronomer Phil Plait called it a "very, very big bang." The world first caught wind of the asteroid or comet when an amateur astronomer named Gerrit Kernbauer recorded the strike through his 20 centimeter telescope. It looks like a little blip and could have been mistaken for a reflection in his telescope. But then John McKeon, another amateur astronomer in Ireland, caught the same blip on his 28 centimeter scope.

Plait says this probably means some kind of space rock strike took place. And while it might not look like much, keep in mind that Jupiter's gravity is 2.4 times that of Earth's, which increases the velocity of something hitting its surface. Plait estimates that the impact energy of an asteroid slamming Jupiter is 25 times that of one hitting Earth. So, even if it looks tiny it likely packed quite a punch.

For NewsBeat Social, I'm Molly Riehl.