[Izzy Dunne]

Second, our atmosphere would do a much better job of skipping off a low trajectory strike, or may reduce the object by burning it up & breaking it up as it falls through the atmosphere.

Why is our atmosphere any better at this than Jupiter's? There's way more atmosphere there than here.

Still, it is nice to know we are a much smaller target than Jupiter with a bit more armor plating around us.

Smaller target, yes.

"armor plating"? I have no idea what you're thinking, but the image you see is the top of Jupiter's atmosphere, not it's surface. That's why the "bruise" disappears after a month or two.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

My mistake. I very ignorantly assumed that Jupiter’s atmosphere was not as dense, high or active as that of the earth. Thanks for your post, I did a little research and I know better. By armor, I was facetiously meant what little contribution our atmosphere does make in either skipping off shallow glancing blows from meteors, or burning them up somewhat as they plunge through the atmosphere. I did not think Jupiter’s atmosphere was as effective.