Elenin - The Comet to end Earth!

[ballaratdragons]

Here it is folks, the Comet to end us all! :eyepop:

Pffft! ;)

Comet Elenin (C/2010 X1)

This is a single frame Screen Grab (Print Screen) from my 'Live' broadcast on NSN of Comet Elenin as it zooms through Virgo a few nights ago :thumbsup:
(complete with satellite moving down through frame on the far right side)

I used a modified Samsung SCC-A2333 CCTV/Video Camera in a 6" f5 Achromat with a 0.6x Focal Reducer making the final focal ratio f3 at 5 seconds integration.

[firstlight]

Was that a satellite or an alien warship?? :rofl:

[anthony.tony]

Nice work-Tony.

[JohnG]

Nice work, Ken :thumbsup:

I am hoping to have another go tonight, supposed to be clear here :eyepop:

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

Good luck John.
It's gets a bit low if you aren't quick :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

There's definitely some dark stars there. Reckon the mothership has split into it's individual components. It's going to be on for young and old soon. Careful now Ken.
Great capture matey. :D

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks JJ, I'll be careful :lol:

I might stick my arm out as it passes by me in our atmosphere. See if I can catch some of that Comet Dust :P

[traveller]

Just how many crackpot theories are out there about Elenin? First someone told me it's about its influence on the tsunami in japan, now a cabbie told me that 27 September is the end of the world as we know it. Australia is supposed to be overwhelmed by a massive flood. Can someone enlighten me? (perhaps I am on the wrong website :screwy:)

[mishku]

so sorry, Bo, but a mate of mine has it on good authority that the transit of venus is the end of the world.... i couldn't *quite* follow his argument, but it's something to do with the number 5200 and the venusian year being 260 days, and you divide something, by something, and then the mayans said something else, in a book, and it's all the same. my brain hurts :screwy:

[jjjnettie]

sigh....if only people would use their brains for good, and not this nonsense.

[Inmykombi]

Thanks for your post Ken.
I missed any talk/news about the Comet ending the world.

Shouldn't we put our head in a paper bag or somethng in preparation for the END.:lol:

If I remember correctly, thats what Arthur Dent was going to do when the earth was about to be destroyed.

[mishku]

jjj, he even had a diagram of how earth and venus are locked into pentagramminal (neologism!) orbit of the sun...

geoff, i believe we're supposed to head to the pub for peanuts and pints :D

[firstlight]

I believe he was advised by Ford Prefect that he could if he wanted to, but it wouldn't help :lol:.

What I want to know is when the end of the world doesn't come as and when predicted, do all the gullible fools grin sheepishly, and realise that they have been taken for a ride. Perhaps they might wake up to the fact that that nice African lawyer/bank official/government official/*** (insert favourite variation of the Nigerian scam) may not be totally honest. :eyepop:

It is sad to say that I followed a link to a youtube site and read a couple of comments... on that sticks in my mind denounces the fact that the comet is breaking up a suspicious because it (apparently) been around before and that it was breaking up near the anniversary of 9/11 it must be the onset of a full-scale alien invasion. A couple of problems I had with that was 1. I didn't know aliens were fundamentalists, and 2. The poster in question just can't get a grip on the fact that the US in not the centre of the universe and things can happen unrelated to it.

Sorry if this is viewed as a rant, of it is off-topic, its just that reading how the nutters and downright malicious dis-informationist can have such a disproportionate voice over facts and sensible debate. I shouldn't look at such nonsense, and shall refrain forthwith.

[firstlight]

Only if we want to hitch a ride with the Vogons...

Penny drops! It must be the constructor fleet to build the hyperspace by-pass.

[jjjnettie]

It's ok, I have an electronic thumb and can get us all a lift.
Next stop, the roundabout at Barnards Star.

[firstlight]

I'll just grab my towel... Lets hope the Dentrassi are still cooking for them.

[cmr]

i don, think i can make it... i have a pain in the diodes down my left side...

cheers a

- marvin

[Analog6]

The pub sounds good to me. I could photograph it but there would be no one to show my high art to!

[traveller]

Well, so long and thanks for all the fish ;)

[jenchris]

But I haven't finished....it....

[ballaratdragons]

Geoff, Comet Elenin is going to pass by the Earth at a fairly close distance on 16th, 17th & 18th October 2011 on it's way back to the outer Solar System, but not close enough to be of any consequence.
But the Conspiracy Theorists claim that it is going to actually hit the Earth and blow us to smithereens. :rolleyes:

And of course, the Conspiracy Theorists know better than all the Astrophysicists, Orbital Mechanics Scientists, Astronomers, and Mathematicians.

Give me a break! :screwy:

See the Path of the Comet in the animation from the Comet Elenin website: HERE (http://secchi.nrl.navy.mil/STEREOorbit/C2010_X1.html)
Zoom in, slow the fram rate, reverse etc. :)

Anyway, thanks for looking at my pic :thumbsup:

[mithrandir]

I would not have called 0.23AU close. Asteroids that pass inside the Moon's orbit are close.

[ballaratdragons]

True Andrew, 0.23AU isn't close.
But for a Comet it is. It's an Astrophotographers dream. Should be able to get some decent pics as it goes by :thumbsup:

[joeallen]

http://www.space.com/13038-comet-elenin-breaking-skywatching-video.html

Article and video of this comet by Castlemaine Astronomer Michael Mattiazzo.