Jupiter Fireballs: Big Impacts Occur 6 to 7 Times Per Year

Jupiter doesn't get whacked by asteroids and comets quite as often as scientists had thought. Objects big enough to generate a fireball visible from Earth — such as the spectacular one that occurred on March 17 — slam into Jupiter about 6.5 times per year, according to a new study based on the pooled observations of amateur astronomers around the world. "This is a result in itself and, together with the reports of amateur astronomer John McKeon, has helped us come up with our prelimi