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Originally posted by Aloysius the Gaul
Originally posted by Nastradamus
Does anyone else find it odd that this comet comes around every 3000-something years and it just happens to "break apart" while it's within observable distance of the Earth... actually, I thought it was confirmed that there were "multiple" objects inbound with Elenin... hmmm
Given that it's never actually come around" earth before at all...EVER, yeah - I find it amazing that anyone thinks it comes around every 3000 years!!
edit on 31-8-2011 by Aloysius the Gaul because: (no reason given)
Density fluctuation of the comet will not change it's trajectory, and CME's are electrons and protons and possibly various heavier atoms such as helium and oxygen but the point is these are atomic and subatomic particles and no matter how fast they are traveling they simply can only effect particles with similar mass, like a comet tail and coma. There is insufficient mass to alter the inertia of a body larger than atomic particles. Any thoughts of electromagnetic radiation causing inertial changes is fantasy because electricity has no mass.
Without positive verification of the comet actually breaking apart (which still won't alter its trajectory) hasn't anybody thought that the recent CME has just temporarily stripped the comet's tail and coma that diminished its luminosity? I mean we know a comet nucleus (the actual body) in not a very reflective body. I've read an albedo in the ranges of less than 5% as the highest and near 2% as the lower. If I must I can site specific measurements from the NASA Stardust mission on this very topic, and I'm sure any ESA close comet approaches would also bear out the same kinds of readings if they took such readings.
Originally posted by Mogget
What caused it to break this time around since this
geezer has been coming around our neighbourhodd every 3000 yrs or so.
No, it hasn't. C/2010 X1 Elenin is a new arrival from the Oort Cloud, where it will have been perturbed by a passing star hundreds of thousands (or maybe even millions) of years ago. It has never had a 3000 year orbit. That figure comes from idiots who have tried to associate this comet with the mythical Nibiru.
The orbital period of C/2010 X1 Elenin after it leaves the planetary region of the Solar System would have been around 11800 years (due mainly to gravitational perturbations by Saturn and Jupiter). However, if the comet is indeed disintegrating, then there will probably be nothing left to make another return in the distant future.edit on 1-9-2011 by Mogget because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Illustronic
reply to post by DexterRiley
One thing to think about with respect to the smaller fragments is the fact that a very large quantity of smaller fragments can also have a devastating impact. Even though those smaller fragments vaporize in our atmosphere and never reach the surface, the aggregate effect of a large quantity of atmospheric entry events can be the heating the planet's atmosphere. As we've seen with global climate change, even small changes in our climate system can have catastrophic effects.
The small changes the school of global warming site are small LONG TERM climate changes, indicating a trend. Very short period climate changes quickly dissipate. I remember during Gulf War One and correct me if I'm mistaken, but I heard even the renown and respected Carl Sagan say that if all of the Kuwaiti oil wells were set ablaze it could have devastating global climate implications, yet it did not. The 1950's nuclear & hydrogen bomb testing did not alter global weather. Earth is subjected to annual meteor showers that don't effect the weather. Mt. Saint Helen and that Indonesian volcanic eruption (KRAKATAU (1883)) changed the short term weather more than things burning up below or in the atmosphere. I remember 1983, it was a relatively cool summer temperature wise where I lived.
Originally posted by spikey
reply to post by DexterRiley
Cheers for the calculations Dex...made me go cross eyed..honestly.. thanks, now i have two screens!
In my limited comprehension of cometary dynamics, i would imagine that variations in it's trajectory would occur due to many factors. Not least of which could be explosive out gassing, from within the comet itself. If close to a heat source, a portion of the comet's material would out gas, sometimes explosively.
This would act as a prime mover surely? A jet of material, shooting off the asymmetrical surface would push the thing in the opposite direction, despite forward velocity. So variations in orbital trajectory would occur in that respect.
There's also other factors...collisions with other debris, the mass and composition of the object in relation to nearby gravitational bodies, and so on.
Lot's of uncertainties.
Originally posted by AstroBuzz
Perhaps everyone jumped the gun... reports and images are coming in now that Elenin is still intact and growing again. Look it up. It's not over yet!
Originally posted by AstroBuzz
Perhaps everyone jumped the gun... reports and images are coming in now that Elenin is still intact and growing again. Look it up. It's not over yet!
Originally posted by Terrion
Kind of weird it breaks up so soon after people start paying attention to it. but i highly doubt we have the tech to go there and blow it up. seems like wishfull thinking to me,but that's just my opinion.
According to the latest images coming in from Australia, comet Elenin may not be disintegrating and ultimately dieing. Take a look at these images by John Glossop as reported by Rob Kaufman. They show that it is reforming a condensation coma around a split nucleus.
Originally posted by thinkingthing
Can someone either confirm or debunk this info and/or image? Thanks...