Debunking the Hellion 1957 hoax

[matthew ota]

Last week, a number of CT web sites were posting an email message that predicted an astronomical disaster involving a white dwarf star colliding with the Sun on August 22, 2009. Used as "evidence" was a recent image from the SoHo spacecraft of the sun showing an object off to the side of the solar disk.

I contacted the SoHo Project Office and received a plausible explanation for the anomaly. It was spacecraft mylar insulation that had broken free when they opened the aperture doors.

I posted the explanation as an answer to the hoax message on as many CT forums as I could, but there are so many it is like trying to fight back the tide.

As late I am losing patience with people that are irresponsible and post such nonsense on the internet. Recently I was banned from the BAUT forum for using a "No Crackpots" avatar in answering yet another silly claim. The moderators over there are too harsh.....

[BenBurch]

Good legwork!

Welcome to JREF.

[DogB]

Recently I was banned from the BAUT forum for using a "No Crackpots" avatar in answering yet another silly claim. The moderators over there are too harsh.....

You were banned for using a sock while suspended. You were suspended for using your Avatar to insult posters and you did receive multiple warnings.

Self inflicted, no sympathy.

[Molinaro]

"No Crackpots", is an insult? Or is there some other avatar that has not been mentioned here?

[jasonpatterson]

I guess the most effective and easiest way to debunk the CT is to show them a calendar. Unless the government covered up the collision with the sun as well, I suppose. :)

[DogB]

"No Crackpots", is an insult?

Matthew was specifically referring posters to it, thereby implying they were said crackpots. Arguable I guess but it's their sandbox - you want to play, you play by their rules. Besides the initial suspension was 24hrs, hardly a major inconvenience. Matthew decided to complain using a sock puppet. BAUT is pretty strict about that. I've been posting there for 7 years and I've see a lot of people go down for that.

That's all I'm going to say. I've already hijacked the thread too much - my apologies to Matthew for that and kudos for the leg work in debunking the BS.