The Elenin Comet Controversy Continues



This simplified diagram shows Comet Elenin as it swings through the inner solar system, passing by Earth on the dates shown. The two bodies are closest on October 17. Positions shown are approximate. Illustration: Bob King

 Comet Elenin will not destroy the Earth I did a search for Comet Elenin the other day and was surprised at how much gloom-and-doom blather has been written about this modest comet. The misinformation covers the full range of nonsense – everything from the name ‘Elenin’ being a coded message for ‘Extinction Level Event Notable Impact Nemesis’ to the comet being a secret brown dwarf star called Nibiru (which doesn’t exist). Some are even spreading the rumor that Leonid Elenin the person doesn’t actually exist...
 
Comet 2010 X1 Elenin, Earthquakes, Astronomical Alignments and Mensur Omerbashich There is still widespread angst that comet 2010 X1 Elenin will cause significant earthquakes when it comes close to Earth later this year. I’ve shown previously that Elenin is not associated with earthquakes, however, in the comments (and on the intertubes), an as yet unpublished paper by Mensur Omerbashich titled “Astronomical Alignments as the Cause of ~M6+ Seismicity” http://arxiv.org/abs/1104.2036. The paper purports to show that astronomical alignments, particularly that of Elenin, are the proximal cause of earthquakes of magnitude 6 or stronger. To save you time before you read the paper and my critique of it, I’ll give you a short and long summary.
Short Summary: It’s nonsense on stilts.
Longer Summary: A sloppy paper which presents incorrect data. It ignores basic information on comets, basic physics and its “evidence” is drawing lines thorough planets. Come on people! Russian amateur astronomer Leonid Elenin: Let’s shed a little light. Comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) was discovered by Russian amateur Leonid Elenin on December 10, 2010. Although he lives in Lyubertsy, Russia, like many amateur astronomers, Elenin takes astrophotos ‘remotely’ using telescopes that can be controlled by a home computer. The night of his discovery he was taking routine photos of the sky at the independent Russian remote observatory ISON-NM (International Scientific Optical Network) near Mayhill, New Mexico...

NASA Emails ALL Employees to PREPARE




NASA Headquarters Emergency Operations: Family/Personal Preparedness   A major initiative has been placed on Family/Personal Preparedness for all NASA personnel. The NASA Family/Personal Preparedness Program is designed to provide awareness, resources, and tools to the NASA Family (civil servants and contractors) to prepare for an emergency situation. The most important assets in the successful completion of NASA’s mission are our employees’ and their families. We are taking the steps to prepare our workforce, but it is your personal obligation to prepare yourself and your families for emergencies...