Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 became the focus of much attention in July 1994 as it hurtled along a collision course for Jupiter.
"This is one of those instances when the accuracy of a painting can go out the window overnight. We all sort of knew what the comet looked like, but not what would follow. I played safe as in many of my fictional paintings and showed the moment just before the action takes place. Oddly, I seem to be the only artist who picked a point of view on the comet as it was diintegrating under gravitational forces, and its gaseous transformation just starting. This afforded me the chance to have a lot of fun with colours and lighting effects."
This picture has been reproduced in various forms in the US and Europe.