Filtering an info out of rumor

Orgil
Orgil
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Topic 193469

The Sun travels at 270km/sek of speed. And some sources (maybe proven) are telling that on December 2012 Sun passes Milky Way equator. Is this information formal or informal?

If this is true what kind of gravitational effects are expected?

Odysseus
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Filtering an info out of rumor

I would call it impossibly precise. The galactic plane is delineated by irregular, patchy features anywhere from dozens to hundreds of parsecs thick, and we can only see a portion of it. So I think it extremely unlikely that anyone can place the true plane of the Milky Way in the vicinity of the Solar System any better than to the nearest hundred light years or so. Considering that the interval between the Sun’s passages through the plane is on the order of tens of millions of years, I’d be surprised if such an event could be timed to the nearest millennium, let alone to the month. The diagram you posted indicates a precise day—even less plausible. This makes me suspect that the claim is derived from an astrological (or other such mystical or divinatory) source rather than from astronomical data.

In any case, the gravitational effects one would expect are just ‘business as usual’ …

As for the “galactic equator� used by astronomers as the basis of a conventional coördinate system, the Sun is always exactly in its plane: by definition it’s at the origin.

Michael Mozina
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RE: I would call it

Message 77891 in response to message 77890

Quote:
I would call it impossibly precise. The galactic plane is delineated by irregular, patchy features anywhere from dozens to hundreds of parsecs thick, and we can only see a portion of it. So I think it extremely unlikely that anyone can place the true plane of the Milky Way in the vicinity of the Solar System any better than to the nearest hundred light years or so. Considering that the interval between the Sun’s passages through the plane is on the order of tens of millions of years, I’d be surprised if such an event could be timed to the nearest millennium, let alone to the month. The diagram you posted indicates a precise day—even less plausible. This makes me suspect that the claim is derived from an astrological (or other such mystical or divinatory) source rather than from astronomical data.

I agree. I'd be willing to put money on the idea that the date selected came directly from the Mayan calendar. The Mayan calendar seems to be all the rage these days when it comes to selecting an 'end of times' scenario. :)

Orgil
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The whole information is

The whole information is likely a rumor or Mayan fun thing. But recently the History channel raised this question and pretty much filled it with tons of doubtness rather than scientific denial, so I posted the question to hopefully more scientific place or in here. :D

Is there any theories and studies about galactic equator?

Michael Mozina
Michael Mozina
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RE: The whole information

Message 77893 in response to message 77892

Quote:

The whole information is likely a rumor or Mayan fun thing. But recently the History channel raised this question and pretty much filled it with tons of doubtness rather than scientific denial, so I posted the question to hopefully more scientific place or in here. :D

Is there any theories and studies about galactic equator?

The only "long term" study that I can think of is the fact that life has flourished on this planet for billions of years and evidently it has passed through that equator on many occasions in it's past. Whatever that process might entail, it probably won't represent the "end of times" for life on earth. :)

I'm just personally pretty skeptical of any suggestion that:
A) anything catastrophic or anything particularly noticeable would be associated with that moment, or that:

B) the Mayans (or any other human culture on earth) ever predicted that day in advance. I think that some humans are occasionally tempted to associate various calendars with specific astrological events, and right now the Mayan calendar happens to be 'in vogue'. Once we get to 2015, it's attractiveness will have dwindled to nothing, and someone will be attempting to associate that equatorial transition with some other calendar from some other culture. :)

Orgil
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My point was to filter some

My point was to filter some astronomy concept out of a rumor and plus certain public tv is dealing with this rumor maybe by supporting way and plus here not certain scientists are denying this rumor.

Is History channel some dirty cult tv or common ethics based media? And here ppl are not telling clear astronomic denials but trying to involve those western armageddon dirts or mayan stuffs.

Rod
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RE: My point was to filter

Message 77895 in response to message 77894

Quote:

My point was to filter some astronomy concept out of a rumor and plus certain public tv is dealing with this rumor maybe by supporting way and plus here not certain scientists are denying this rumor.

Is History channel some dirty cult tv or common ethics based media? And here ppl are not telling clear astronomic denials but trying to involve those western armageddon dirts or mayan stuffs.

Its just TV... Like any information you just have to be careful

There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot. - Aldo Leopold

Rod
Rod
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This the only source I could

This the only source I could find on your question..

Google Answers

There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot. - Aldo Leopold

Orgil
Orgil
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Thanks! Basically every while

Thanks! Basically every while weird cults from somewhere invent new disaster rumors but this time certain bigger medias involved with this one and maybe certain ancient studies involved too.

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