<p>Yes, there is an observed impact of a comet into a celestial body. A fairly recent one in 1994 is the comet which impacted into Jupiter, <a href="http://www.space.com/19855-shoemaker-levy-9.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Shoemaker-Levy-9</a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/L2YWn.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/L2YWn.png" alt="Comet impacting into Jupiter"></a></p>

<p>Here's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLNxZbpP20" rel="nofollow noreferrer">video</a> of this event happening.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-10T19:06:33.807Z
That's definitely impressive. I was actually thinking about impacts *other* than with gas giants, because I figured those would be less noticeable, but you've proven that assumption wrong. Are there any others (aside from Jupiter) you can add to the answer?
thanby
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-16T09:59:01.747Z
@thanby No, I'm afraid not
VvV
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-10T02:44:09.053Z
2016-03-10T04:15:01.987Z
2016-03-10T04:15:01.987Z
VvV
<p>Asteroid impacts on the Moon are monitored by researchers and amateurs. <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/lunar/#.VukzIfkrJhE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Meteoroid Environment Office</a> has a list of candidate impacts I stumbled upon, Lunar Monitoring Program is another. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYloGuUZCFM" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Videos and photos</a> of Lunar impacts.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aJ2Cu.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aJ2Cu.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9OBRv.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9OBRv.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<em>One impact photo to the left. All recorded impacts 2005-2015 to the right above.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-16T10:37:59.223Z
I wonder if the lack of recorded impacts on the parts of the Moon which face Earth most directly, according to [this map](http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/16may_lunarimpact/), is an observational selection effect, or if it is because of Earth's gravity deflecting asteroids heading that way?
LocalFluff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-16T10:31:29.667Z
2016-03-16T10:31:29.667Z
LocalFluff
<p>At least some of the 'active asteroids' recently observed are most likely the result of impacts. One example is 2010 A2:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/AxSLy.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/AxSLy.jpg" alt="active asteroid 2010 A2"></a></p>

<p>For more details, see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P/2010_A2_(LINEAR)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P/2010_A2_(LINEAR)</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-16T05:12:22.913Z
2016-03-16T05:12:22.913Z
mommermi
<p>Have we ever observed, or better yet, recorded, an impact from a comet/meteorite/fragment/etc on another celestial body? For example, in all its time orbiting Mars, has the MRO observed anything impacting the surface?</p>

<p>All the other objects in our solar system that we've observed (aside from gas giants) are either speckled or virtually covered with craters, but I've never heard mention of actually seeing one of these impacts happen. At a basic level I'm curious if we've ever actually directly seen one, but what would be even better is if there's a publicly-available video of it happening.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-10T12:16:42.030Z
Downvote? Please explain so I can improve the question.
thanby
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-12T23:03:40.757Z
Man, haven't you heard about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor for example?
Mithoron
<solar-system><meteorite><impact><crater>
Celestial impacts
thanby
# Celestial impacts

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-10)

Have we ever observed, or better yet, recorded, an impact from a comet/meteorite/fragment/etc on another celestial body? For example, in all its time orbiting Mars, has the MRO observed anything impacting the surface?

All the other objects in our solar system that we've observed (aside from gas giants) are either speckled or virtually covered with craters, but I've never heard mention of actually seeing one of these impacts happen. At a basic level I'm curious if we've ever actually directly seen one, but what would be even better is if there's a publicly-available video of it happening.

**Tags:** solar-system, meteorite, impact, crater

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Downvote? Please explain so I can improve the question.  
> **username_1**: Man, haven't you heard about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor for example?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-03-10. Score: 4

Yes, there is an observed impact of a comet into a celestial body. A fairly recent one in 1994 is the comet which impacted into Jupiter, [Shoemaker-Levy-9](http://www.space.com/19855-shoemaker-levy-9.html)

[![Comet impacting into Jupiter](https://i.sstatic.net/L2YWn.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/L2YWn.png)

Here's a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLNxZbpP20) of this event happening.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That's definitely impressive. I was actually thinking about impacts *other* than with gas giants, because I figured those would be less noticeable, but you've proven that assumption wrong. Are there any others (aside from Jupiter) you can add to the answer?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 No, I'm afraid not  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-03-16. Score: 3

Asteroid impacts on the Moon are monitored by researchers and amateurs. [The Meteoroid Environment Office](http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/lunar/#.VukzIfkrJhE) has a list of candidate impacts I stumbled upon, Lunar Monitoring Program is another. [Videos and photos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYloGuUZCFM) of Lunar impacts.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/aJ2Cu.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/aJ2Cu.jpg)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/9OBRv.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/9OBRv.jpg)
*One impact photo to the left. All recorded impacts 2005-2015 to the right above.*

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I wonder if the lack of recorded impacts on the parts of the Moon which face Earth most directly, according to [this map](http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/16may_lunarimpact/), is an observational selection effect, or if it is because of Earth's gravity deflecting asteroids heading that way?  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-03-16. Score: 1

At least some of the 'active asteroids' recently observed are most likely the result of impacts. One example is 2010 A2:

[![active asteroid 2010 A2](https://i.sstatic.net/AxSLy.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/AxSLy.jpg)

For more details, see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P/2010_A2_(LINEAR)>.


---

