Last week we learned about space rocks, like comets and asteroids. Jupiter is the 1st planet outside the asteroid belt so it gets hit by lots of space rocks. If Jupiter wasn’t there then the Earth could get hit by lot’s of space rocks instead but Jupiter protects us from them (by Titus, 9).
Jupiter is so big that sometimes comets orbit it instead of the sun. Astronomers on Palomar Mountain where we used to live discovered a comet orbiting Jupiter in 1993. The next year the comet broke apart in Jupiter’s atmosphere and crashed into it and made big explosions (by Joel, 7 1/2).
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godmadeknown 
Titus, Joel, what is exciting is that that was the first comet ever seen actually orbiting a planet, and it was discovered by accident. By studying its orbit path they were able to predict when it would hit Jupiter. So in July 1994 almost every telescope in the world, including those in spacecraft, were pointed at Jupiter and they were able to get pictures of the actual collisions of the comet’s fragments. They say the biggest fragment made an explosion 600 times more powerful than all the nuclear bombs in the world!
Opa Kupuna Kane
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Good job, Opa! You’ve been doing your homework!
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What do you mean “doing your homework?” I was there when it happened! You boys weren’t even thought of then. It created as much excitement as the first walk on the moon.
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Of course, I forgot. You were there when a lot of things happened, weren’t you? 🙂
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http://www.kmph.com/story/20709873/nasa-artifacts-land-at-clovis-north-high-school
http://www.cbs47.tv/news/local/story/Out-of-this-world/QMJ7xcoiakOBnABw04a33Q.cspx
We’ve been having a little space excitement at our school, too. Maybe someday you boys will be able to see these artifacts.
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Wow! That is so cool! Will they be on display for everyone?
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The goal is to create an air and space research museum, open to the public. I’m guessing there will be public viewings, though, as soon as a display area is completed.
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