A dark cloud of debris from the July 19th impact on Jupiter continues to be visible through backyard telescopes. Now, for the first time, you can see it in 3D. Cross your eyes and behold:

Image
© Wah!
Astrophotographer "Wah!" made the stereo pair using an 8-inch telescope in Hong Kong. He took two pictures of Jupiter four minutes apart, allowing the planet's rotation to provide the necessary right- and left-eye views. If you have trouble seeing the 3D effect, try staring at this larger version.

In 3D, the impact mark seems to be a hole in the clouds. In fact, it is a cloud, filled with dark cindery bits of a mystery-impactor that exploded like 2000 megatons of TNT. High altitude winds are spreading the debris around the south pole, enlarging the dark mark for easy viewing.

Amateur astronomers can monitor the cloud near Jupiter's System II longitude 210°. For the predicted times when it will cross the planet's central meridian, add 2 hours and 6 minutes to Sky and Telescope's predicted transit times for Jupiter's Great Red Spot. [sky map]