Galileo Orbiter SSI Images: Ida Flyby to SL9 Comet Impact on Jupiter

NASA's Galileo spacecraft captured these Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera pictures from the asteroid Ida flyby through the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet collision with Jupiter. The collection resides on volume GO_0016 and was distributed to scientists and the Planetary Data System. Images include targets such as stars, Ida, and Jupiter.

Use Cases

• Analyze asteroid surface morphology based on images of Ida
• Study atmospheric effects on Jupiter from the SL9 comet impact
• Calibrate remote sensing instruments using star field images
• Model impact dynamics on gas giants based on the temporal image sequence

Strengths

• Data originates from NASA's Galileo Project, a major planetary science mission
• Covers a specific, significant astronomical event: the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact
• Includes multiple celestial targets: stars, asteroid Ida, and Jupiter

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Images acquired by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera on the Galileo spacecraft

Time Range

From SCLK 197327200 through 249221800 (covering the Ida flyby through the SL9 impact period)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:23:53.171166; freshness should be verified

Geography

Space; targets include the asteroid Ida, Jupiter, and stars