CCD imaging of Jupiter during its impact with Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 : Observations from Jaisalmer

Abstract

CCD imaging observations of Jupiter were carried out, from the desert location of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, during the period of its collision with the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. A Celestron 8 telescope was used with a Lynx PC Plus Digital Imaging System and a large number of images (~ 100) were acquired. Good sky conditions prevailed on 21st, July 1994 when sites of earlier impacts (KLG) were clearly seen on the disk of Jupiter and recorded. Image processing of these frames were carried out to obtain one dimensional impact image profiles in E-W as well as N-S directions. The profiles were subsequently corrected for the aspect effects. In this paper a limited sample of 12 profiles are used to look for trends in the temporal development of the K impact site. The time coverage of the G and L sites are not enough for any detail work.