In July 1992, Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 made its closest approach to Jupiter, skimming 25,000 miles (40,000 km) above Jupiter’s cloud tops. That put Shoemaker-Levy 9 within the gas giant’s Roche limit; the planet’s tidal forces broke the comet into more than 20 pieces, giving it a “string of pearls” appearance and setting the stage for Continue reading "July 8, 1992: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks up" The post July 8, 1992: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks up appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .