Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 (formally designated
D/1993 F2) was a
comet that broke apart and collided with
Jupiter in July 1994, providing the first direct observation of an extraterrestrial collision of
Solar System objects. This generated a large amount of coverage in the popular media, and the comet was closely observed by
astronomers worldwide. The collision provided new information about Jupiter and highlighted its role in reducing
space debris in the
inner Solar System.