John RP,
Very good skeptical questions. I am bewildered as to why the Elenin fascination continues. Again, it is a small insignificant commentary object. While it possibly could be perturbed gravitationally by another object (and vice versa) it currently does NOT pose any threat to this world whatsoever. The reason it has no tail as of yet is because of its small size and distance from the sun. I believe it just recently passed the orbit of Mars. For those of you who think that Elenin is a “brown dwarf” making it difficult to see, do not understand the concept of a brown dwarf star. When astronomers express that brown dwarfs are difficult to observe, they are speaking of those that are at great distances outside of our solar system. A brown dwarf is VERY SIMILAR to the planet Jupiter. To be considered a brown dwarf, an object would at least be the size of Jupiter, if not much larger. If Jupiter had been any larger in mass, it may have ignited fusion and became a star. Even though it did not, it is one of the brightest objects in the sky at night BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THE LIGHT OF THE SUN.
Consider this: If Elenin is a brown dwarf, which would make it as least as big as Jupiter, then how come it is not visible? Why would it not reflect light in the same way as Jupiter? Jupiter is 21 times larger in diameter than Mars. IF Elenin, currently at about the orbit of Mars, were at least as big as Jupiter (21 times larger than Mars) it would be currently appearing in the sky as about 1/3rd the size of the moon.
Jupiter = 143000 km diameter, appears to be 50.1 arcseconds in diameter from earth
Mars = 6800km diameter, appears to be 25.1 arcseconds in diameter from earth
143000/6800=21.02 times bigger than Mars would be any smallest ‘brown dwarf’ sized object (like Jupiter).
So if this “brown dwarf” being at least as large as Jupiter is currently as close as Mars, then it would appear as 21.02 times larger than Mars. Mars appears as 25.1 arcseconds in diameter at its closest, so the “brown dwarf” would appear as 21.02 times 25.1 arcseconds, or about 528 arcseconds in diameter. The moon at its closest appears to be about 1900 arcseconds in diameter. So if Elenin were a brown dwarf just now passing Mars, it would appear in the sky to be 27.7% the size of the moon.
If there were something in the sky about a third the size of the moon, we could see it night or day. Go outside wherever you are and scan the sky for something that big. You will not see it, because it DOES NOT EXIST!
We as Christians are not supposed to be the ones deluded. Study to show yourself approved before jumping on the falsehood band wagon! Be a little skeptical about getting your scientific facts from a Youtube video.
In Christ,
Kevin Heckle