Wed Jul 20 19:25:06 1994
Last night, we reported the missing M fragment impact. We were hoping
to confirm this today, but it is cloudy now and we may not even be able
to confirm it tonight. After doing a few calculations, we think that
the "missing" M spot may be the K spot. Initially, we thought that
impossible based on two things: 1) the time was too early, and 2) the
relative position to the C spot seemed all wrong. It is obvious now that
(2) is invalid because we did not account for the aspect (cosine) of
the spherical (almost) planet. As for the time (1), we calculated when
K should reappear by multiplying 1/2 the Jovian rotation rate by the time
we last saw K. Clearer reflection today (in part, thanks to a suggestion
by Imke de Pater), made us realize that these spots are BIG. Roughly 18
degrees or so, which translates to about 30 minutes of time.
I wish we could confirm the spot one way or another, but we believe this note is appropriate at this time in case someone is looking for M based on our previous message.
Isn't "instant science" wonderful? I blame it all on Voyager--they started it. No, really: I guess we just got rapped up in it all and after observing for an entire Jovian rotation yesterday I guess we just got carried away. I think there must be a moral in there somewhere...
All we said about L, etc, from the previous message is valid.
jjk for SPMO team