ZetaTalk: Hale-Bopp

ZetaTalk dated March 27, 1997

The comet that NASA and JPL lined up as the rationale for pointing to a nova in 1995 and screaming that it was a comet is only being claimed to be big because it must match the size claimed in 1995. In comparison to Hyakutake, which flamed across the sky in 1996, the 1997 showing of the comet the Hubble and NEAT programs located for the conspirators is a disappointment. This is explained away by distance, the claim that distance is making this manifestation of the Hale-Bopp saga small. Not so! The tale told by the Angle of the Two Tails, the ion tail in particular as it points away from the Sun, shows that this comet is not at the distance claimed by the conspirators. Hale-Bopp's small size, in comparison to Hyakutake last year, for instance, is explained away by distance.

It's supposed to be far away. But is it? If a man stands but 20 feet from you, and there is a light behind you and a light at his right side, you will see a shadow behind him and a shadow to his left, at a 90 degree angle. Put this same man 40 feet further out, and you will still see the shadow behind him, but the shadow to the side will be at a sharper angle, closer to 45 degrees than 90. Each incremental step back comes close to halving that angle, until far enough out the shadows from both indistinguishable.

The path of the comet currently being called Hale-Bopp is supposed to be outside of Earth's orbit, closer to the orbit of Mars or even beyond. Put yourself above the Solar System, looking down, directly above the Sun so that the orbit of Mars, the orbit of Earth, the Sun, and the stated position of the comet currently being called Hale-Bopp are within your imaginary sights. Since this comet is dropping, the dust trail is not relevant to our point. It is the ion tail that tells the tale. Draw a line from the Sun through the point where the comet currently being called Hale-Bopp is supposed to be positioned. Draw a line from Earth through this comet position. What angle should that tail pointing away from Earth be? Is it at that angle?

Here's the rub! Is this a big comet far away or a small comet much closer!

Take the drawing done in the exercise above. Move the comet around, closer to Earth, until the angle you see for the ion tail is appropriate for both the Sun's angle and the angle from Earth. Less dramatic than Hyakutake? Smaller beyond reason from what was being touted in 1995? Has a different orbit, suddenly, from the 4.200 year cycle Jim Scotti was just defending not a month ago to one now stated to be 2,380 years? Why? In order to connect the dots from the nova in 1995 to the comet the Hubble and NEAT programs had spied (they see them dark and moving, where amateurs spot them lighted up and moving), the orbit had to be reasonable to make the stretch. This was the paper orbit published during 1995 and 1996. However, this comet currently being called Hale-Bopp was not so convenient as to have the same orbit! Thus the dramatic changes just of late.