Band CCD image showing the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 
approaching Jupiter. This 15 minute exposure was taken by Kurt Birkle 
and Ulrich Thiele on 5 May 1994 at the 3.5 meter telescope on Calar 
Alto. It shows approximately half of the nuclei joined by a beautiful 
veil of emission. From left to right, the frame spans all the fragments 
from F to W. The background stars appear streaked since the telescope 
tracked the cometary nuclei. Also present are several galaxies and a few
planetesimals (streaked in a different direction).