Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 the Earth significantly. A planet of Jupiter's mass still seems to provide increased protection against asteroids, but the total effect on all orbital bodies within the Solar System is unclear. Computer simulations in 2016 have continued to erode the theory. Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 (formally designated D/1993 F2) was a comet that broke apart in July 1992 and collided with Jupiter in July 1994, providing the first direct observation of an extraterrestrial collision of Solar System objects. This generated a large amount of coverage in the popular media, and the comet was closely observed by astronomers worldwide. The
Great Comet of 1744 "dust striae" seen in the tails of some comets, such as Comet West and C/2006 P1 (McNaught). Chéseaux, on March 9, was the last known observer in the northern hemisphere to see the comet, but it remained visible for observers in the southern hemisphere, some of whom reported a tail length of approximately 90 degrees on March 18. The comet was not seen after April 22, 1744. The comet also was noted in Japanese astronomical records in the "Nihon Odai Ichiran" of the Kanpō era. Researchers have found in Chinese astronomical records that some Chinese observations describe audible sounds associated