 Comet Shoemaker – Levy 9 ( formally designated D / 1993 F2 ) was a comet that broke apart in July 1992 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 . 
