7 ms·

It seems fairly frequent that amateurs observe large impacts on Jupiter. Presumably they would be devastating impacts if they hit Earth. Is the reason we don't

It seems fairly frequent that amateurs observe large impacts on Jupiter. Presumably they would be devastating impacts if they hit Earth. Is the reason we don't get them frequently on Earth because of the size difference (11X smaller than Jupiter) or we're somehow protected by location?

Waterluvian 3y ago
The answer is in the sub-headline: “This gas giant regularly absorbs hits from comets and asteroids, protecting inner solar system worlds.” It’s a really cool concept, though it’s not settled science: https://earthsky.org/space/is-it-true-that-jupiter-protects-earth/ https://earthsky.org/space/is-it-true-that-jupiter-protects-... It’s interesting to consider that a Kepler planet may also require larger mass planets further out to perform a similar role.
sillysaurusx 3y ago
I once heard that Jupiter protects us because it’s so massive that it catches rocks that would otherwise come towards us. No idea if that’s true, but it makes for a nice story about the silent gassy protector.
- ehvatum 3y ago
  Jupiter has a lot of magnetism and the baroque clockwork ballet of its moons in the solar wind and on its stormy poles never fail to sing their eternal opera. My grandfather, Hein Hvatum, thought this might be the case and happened to be the first to point a radio telescope at Jupiter and write a paper about it.
zmmmmm 3y ago
that was the most interesting part in the last paragraph to me: > The gas giant is considered to play a big role in protecting the inner solar system from asteroids and comets by attracting and absorbing impacts or flinging potentially dangerous objects further out into the solar system It's fascinating to think how many factors have come together to make life on earth so particularly viable. Even with this "protection" we've had major catastrophic events that nearly wiped out all advanced forms of life.

Waterluvian 3y ago

The answer is in the sub-headline: “This gas giant regularly absorbs hits from comets and asteroids, protecting inner solar system worlds.” It’s a really cool concept, though it’s not settled science: https://earthsky.org/space/is-it-true-that-jupiter-protects-earth/ https://earthsky.org/space/is-it-true-that-jupiter-protects-... It’s interesting to consider that a Kepler planet may also require larger mass planets further out to perform a similar role.

sillysaurusx 3y ago

I once heard that Jupiter protects us because it’s so massive that it catches rocks that would otherwise come towards us. No idea if that’s true, but it makes for a nice story about the silent gassy protector.

ehvatum 3y ago
Jupiter has a lot of magnetism and the baroque clockwork ballet of its moons in the solar wind and on its stormy poles never fail to sing their eternal opera. My grandfather, Hein Hvatum, thought this might be the case and happened to be the first to point a radio telescope at Jupiter and write a paper about it.

zmmmmm 3y ago

that was the most interesting part in the last paragraph to me: > The gas giant is considered to play a big role in protecting the inner solar system from asteroids and comets by attracting and absorbing impacts or flinging potentially dangerous objects further out into the solar system It's fascinating to think how many factors have come together to make life on earth so particularly viable. Even with this "protection" we've had major catastrophic events that nearly wiped out all advanced forms of life.