This figure shows a model of the orbit of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 after it was captured by Jupiter.
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The trajectory of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 over time
Mathematical theory suggests that comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was likely a short-period comet which was captured into orbit around Jupiter in 1929 and began to execute the path plotted in this diagram. This path ended with a collision of the comet with Jupiter itself.
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