Comet Elenin, Harbinger of Doom
Internet Declares Comet Elenin a Doomsday Comet. Comet Falls Apart First
Web rumours said Elenin would cause earthquakes or smash into Earth by its October 2011 flyby. It broke up near the sun instead, and NASA declared it an 'ex-comet'.
What was claimed (paraphrase)
Comet Elenin would trigger earthquakes or collide with Earth around its closest approach in October 2011. (Paraphrase of the rumours NASA addressed.)
— Internet doomsday rumours about comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) · said 2011 · due by the October 16, 2011 flyby
Elenin came no closer than about 22 million miles, as NASA said it would, and by then it was a debris cloud.
The Story
General attribution: the claims spread across websites and videos with no single owner. NASA's JPL wrote in August 2011 that 'comets are portrayed as harbingers of gloom and doom' but Elenin posed no threat.
NBC reported that 'The wimpy comet Elenin, which vaulted into the public spotlight as a so-called harbinger of doom, has met its own demise.'
Receipts
- Comet Elenin Poses No Threat to Earth - NASA JPL (August 16, 2011)accessed 2026-09-29
- Doomsday comet Elenin dies - NBC News (October 26, 2011)accessed 2026-09-29
As of Oct 9, 2026
since it didn't happen
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