 The impact of SL9 highlighted Jupiter 's role as a " cosmic vacuum cleaner " ( or in deference to the ancients ' planetary correspondences to the major organs in the human body , a " cosmic liver " ) for the inner Solar System . The planet 's strong gravitational influence leads to many small comets and asteroids colliding with the planet , and the rate of cometary impacts on Jupiter is thought to be between 2000 @-@ 8000 times higher than the rate on Earth . 
