Cataclysmic Clockwork -Our Solar System's Deadly Orbit Through the Milky Way

Cataclysmic Clockwork -Our Solar System's Deadly Orbit Through the Milky Way

www.dailygalaxy.com

Is there a genocidal countdown built into the motion of our solar system? Recent work at Cardiff University suggests that our system's orbit through the Milky Way encounters regular speedbumps - and by "speedbumps" we mean "potentially extinction-causing asteroids".

Wickramasinghe have completed computer simulations of the motion of the Sun in our outer spiral-arm location in the Milky Way (image left of spiral arms).

These models reveal a regular oscillation through the central galactic plane, where the surrounding dust clouds are the densest. The solar system is a non-trivial object, so its gravitational effects set off a far-reaching planetoid-pinball machine which often ends with comets hurled into the intruding system.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is something I've been talking about for years. However, although the author of this article states it takes 37 million years to cross the galactic equator, I think it is closer to 33 million years. And, they state the dinosaurs went extinct 2 cycles ago, which is wrong ~ two crossing equal one full up/down cycle, so actually it was one cycle, which is two crossings ago, that the dinosaurs went bye bye.

Anyhow, 2012 is approximately when we cross again, and we may be able to count the years humanity has left to live with the fingers we have on one hand.

www.dailygalaxy.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by Divinorumus

Anyhow, 2012 is approximately when we cross again, and we may be able to count the years humanity has left to live with the fingers we have on one hand.

www.dailygalaxy.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

After some research I have determined that you most likely were alluding to all life on Earth (OMG!!!) having 5 years or less left to exist. WOW!

How good are you at math?

I don't think it is anything new that this type of thing is not only a destroyer but a shaper of life on earth. It's a little bit different now that we are intelligent enough to control our own destiny. Some scientists are creating ways to divert cataclysmic asteroids. This is a link to wikipedia asteroid deflection strategies:
en.wikipedia.org...

Just watched a TV program about this called "Naked Science" on the national geographic channel actually LOL.

Nuking an asteroid, like in the movies, would probably only break it into smaller pieces however it wouldn't necessarily neutralize the devastating potential (It would just spread it over a wider area).

There are some pretty interesting methods that are being developed. One really interesting one that was on the national geographic channel was a rocket that has arms that extend out and grab the asteroid on all 4 sides, then has thrusters which would push it away from earth.

There are alot of others though like the solar mylar sales, a giant mirror to focus light which vaporizes parts of the asteroid which would create small amounts of thrust over time. What I'm getting at is that as long as we knew long enough in advance, we could pool our resources together as a planet and do something. We wouldn't be helpless. Not unless nobody knows it's coming until they look up and see it. That would suck.

-ChriS

reply to post by Divinorumus


I liked this comment to the article:

USA is a giant galaxy with Israel acting like a black hole in it, sucking in its resources.

I seem to remember seeing something about this on Discovery Channel (or was it TLC?) few years ago.

One thing that stuck out in my mind was that, after our solar system oscillates into that "belt of cosmic debris" & new debris gets sucked into our gravity well, it takes about 2 million years or so for it to travel from our gravity well's furthest edge before it can come within reach of our planetary orbit. According to my memory of that particular show, we had just recently swung out of the debris-belt about 2 million years ago...And that the asteroid shower that hit Saturn a few years ago was the "first-in-line" of the debris we've most recently picked up.

Some evidence remaining on Earth to coincide with this "cosmic clockwork" lies within the differing depths of iridium layers that archeologists have dug up...These iridium layers seem to indicate mass extinctions took place "in time" with our system oscillations across the galactic plane.

A good example of astrophysics-websites I've run across is Stephen Hawking's Universe. I think they do a pretty good job of putting it in "layman's terms," which is a good thing for people (like me) who aren't experts in the field already.

[edit on 10-5-2008 by MidnightDStroyer]

Yeah, yeah and about 100 asteroids were supposed to have collided with Earth in past 20 years and whoooooosh, none of them even came within kilometres of our little planet.

I wouldn't get too worked up about this, these doomsday predictions have a habit of turning out to be computer errors, exaggerations, miscalculations and misinterpretations.

[edit on 10/5/08 by The Godfather of Conspira]

May I just inject a thought.....about the size of our Galaxy, and the concept that any human lifespan would EVER amount to anything other than a gnat's wing, as it pertains to the larger view of what the Universe has to offer.....

We inhabit a planet, in a Solar System (we call it a "Solar System", because we refer to our Sun as 'Sol') somewhere on the third outskirts of a pretty typical, Spiral Galaxy....one Galaxy of BILLIONS of other Galaxies.....some others Spiral, some Globular.....but we live in this one....we have coined it the 'Milky Way'.....very poetic.....anyone care to conjecture WHERE this particular moniker came from? Hmmm????

Points to the one who brings the answer....

Onward....our particular 'spiral galaxy' happens to be about 100,000 light years in diameter, as measured across its disc....about 20,000 to 30,000 thick, in the center. (Remember, we live in the suburbs...so we can only estimate about the details in the center....current thinking is....there is at least one, possibly more, singularities in the center of our Galaxy. Why else wojld Gravity hold us together, the way it does???)

We are about 29,000 to 35,000 light years from the center....remember, we live in the 'burbs'.....but, that also means we are away from the radiation from super novae....and, we exist in one of the spairal arms, so we are even more protected from the Cosmic radiation, from the supernovae, of the past....

Look.....Our System orbits, in the Galaxy....of course. BUT NOT IN YOUR LIFETIME!!!

OK.....here's how we could discuss this issue....in the approximately 4 Billion years that our Solar System has been present, how many times have we been around the Galaxy???

What I mean to ask, and hope the OP will provide is, conclusive proof that our Galaxy is rotating so fast, and our Solar System is moving so fast, that effects would be perceived within the tiny sliver of Human Experience, on the Earth!!!

The Universe works in such a way, that the Human lifespan, in comparison, is no more that a gnat at your ear!!! You wish to snatch that gnat out of the air, because it is annoying.

That is how the Universe sees you, the Human.

We believe we are the Ultimate....it is Hubris.

What drew me, at first, to this post, this thread, was the title. As I wrote, I began to have a revelation....if you wish to believe it was divinely inspired, then so be it!

Personally, I just know it's my own brain.....cuz I'm a smart fella!!!!

See? I had to end it with a joke....because otherwise, it gets so deep, and no one wants to comprehend.....and, either way, I come out as a fool, or a nut....I can handle the abuse.

WW

ps.....the 'smart fella' crack.....was sarcasm....just so I don't have to explain it later.....Oy!

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
I wouldn't get too worked up about this, these doomsday predictions have a habit of turning out to be computer errors, exaggerations, miscalculations and misinterpretations.

I wouldn't say that crossing through the equatorial center of our galaxy is merely a prediction, like all those crazy predictions that all those looser wannabe prophets make off the top of their heads. This is an actual cyclical reality thing which is real, like the seasons on Earth. And there is proof the Earth has been whacked before while crossing through this dense field of debris. One full cycle (two crossings) ago the dinosaurs were wiped off the face of Earth. With any luck, so will be the same with the humans (unless there are some scavenger reptilians camping on the galactic plains waiting for their next doomed lunch to float by . . . hey, waste not want not).

reply to post by Divinorumus


Divinourums.....are you calling ME a 'Looser Wannabe'??????

Did I get that wrong, please tell me....exactly where am I 'looser' than I was before??? Was I tight to begin with???? Well, guess I'm 'loosening' up as I go along.....as you can see, in the post....(tongue firmly in cheek).

ATS is supposed to be fun....if not fun, then at least....entertaining. If not entertaining, then at least.....fun??????

Oh....circular logic.....where have I seen THAT before????

WW

Originally posted by weedwhacker
Divinourums.....are you calling ME a 'Looser Wannabe'??????

What are you talking about? I didn't call you a looser. What I was saying is that there is a big difference between a scientific analysis and forecast, and one of those wannabe prophets (har har har) that sit around on their ass and throw out random baseless unsubstantiated predictions/guesses based upon a contrived hunch (yes, them folks are constantly loosers when it comes to any so-called predictions).

[edit on 10-5-2008 by Divinorumus]

"Via Lactaea" was the first written description of the milky band of stars in our night sky, in Latin. This may be translated as "the milky road".

The word "galaxy" is also a derivative of the Latin.

I'm sorry I can't give you the details of origin: this part of my memory is distant and receding.

Points won't help...

reply to post by weedwhacker


Weedwhacker, they are not talking about the orbit of the galaxy. They are talking about the motion of the solar system in orbit of the galaxy.

Sol moves up and down while it orbits the MW. Like a wave in a sense, or a ray of radiated particles.

Each 'wave peak' is 33-37 million years. Meaning a 'complete wave' is 66-74 million years. At the current Sol orbital speed of the MW core, each 'wave' occurs 3 to 4 times per complete orbit. In 'disaster' speech, that is 6 to 8 times a POSSIBLE galactic-plane influenced extinction even could occur in direct relation to the orbit.




"We are located in the outer part of the galaxy, approximately 1.6 × 1017 miles from the Galactic center. At our current orbital speed of 140 miles/second, our solar system takes about 250 million years for one orbit around the Galactic center." Source

I would of stated that myself from my astronomy books; however a web-source is critical in a forum I guess.




Again, I re-state. The Milkyway is not a perfect disk. Sol does not make a perfect orbit around the Milkyway. This is what we are talking about, the imperfect orbit.

As for 'its 2012! oh no!' people... I will state this for your food for thought.

The disc's thickness is 1,000-2,000 Light Years thick. Know what this means? At a rate of 140 miles a second, it will take the Solar System around 1400(ish) YEARS to travel ONE light year.

This means, a range of 140,000 years to 280,000 years to go through. Which means, our ultra-cool super race needs to be on the watch for asteroids for a very very very very long time. Assuming we go into the disc exactly on 2012, the first thing that will be disturbed is the Oort Cloud at 50,000 AU out from us.

It takes anywhere from 200 to a million years for Oort Cloud debri to be thrown out of it's orbit, and make its way into the inner solar system. Even then, it is HIGHLY unlikely that... between Our Star, Jupiter, Nearby Stars, as well as the object in question that would throw our Oort Cloud out of balance... it is highly unlikely an object would find it's way to earth and be big enough to wipe us out.

As for rouge bodies (not planetary) that are in large asteroid size, coming in from the outer star system... They will be traveling fast, yes, but they are being pulled in by the sun, Jupiter, and other high mass planets... Likely a one-way trip as they are caught into and crash into those bodies... or slung back out into interstellar space.

Consider the size of Earth, and our tiny little gravity field. Now, consider how many paths in a 360 degree open space environment that an asteroid could come at the Sun from. Now consider that not only Earth is not only very minimum of a target, it is also a small MOVING target at a FAST rate in comparison to other, larger, easier to hit targets with much higher gravity.

So in the minute chance that something IS coming at us after all the above has been worked around... because it HAS happened before... then, and only then, will we have to step into action and begin nuking or shooting or towing or what ever that we must do to save our little lives.

However, it is HIGHLY improbable that 2012 will be the day that a large bodied object from interstellar regions or even the outer-solar regions, will be crashing into us due to the topic of this page.

I also have a lovely reply to an older topic's page as to why 'planet X' can not be here by 2012. That if it was traveling any faster it's 'occurrence rate would be more common, and if any slower that it's occurrence rate would be less common... and that within a specified window it would HAVE to be as close as Neptune. In short, even Earth sized, WE WOULD SEE IT WITH CIVILIAN EQUIPMENT.

So there is no Planet X on 2012. There is no Asteroid from Extra-Solar depths on 2012. The threat posed by this threads subject, if its a rouge planet like planet x might be... or if its a 'shot gun' of asteroids... or ANYTHING that this news post might even slightly be related to. Has more than 100,000 years to happen. Its not going to happen year number one... unless the object we hit is going at 75% or as fast a light speed, in which even if it is the size of the space shuttle, all life on Earth will be turned to dust instantly.

In short, this topic does not concern me in the least; the odds of the event killing me in my potential 100-ish years of life span are 1 in 1400 (assuming one is destined to hit, no questions asked, in the lower base number of 140,000).

Any questions? Ill be glad to put down any more nonsense and panic. It's best to remain calm and think things through with a little research... rather than selling the farm and burning the bridge.

-Fox

reply to post by Divinorumus


Not a lot of difference between this post, and those doomsday posts. Scientists have made many predictions that something may impact our planet, but it never has. Just as we have a constant barrage of doomsday predictions in the non-scientific, ameture, or whatever you call it, world, they have those same doomsday predictions and hiccups in the scientific world too.

In 2000, it was predicted that an asteroid was going to impact the earth sometime in 2004-2009. Later in 2001, they said that it wouldn't happen, they had to revise their calculations and such and found that their numbers were off. This isn't anything new. It's a nice read, interesting find, but it's the same level of reliance as those other people that you claim have no grounds.

you say the odds of the event killing you in your potential 100-ish years of life span are 1 in 1400 (assuming one is destined to hit, no questions asked, in the lower base number of 140,000). so if theres 2 it will be 1 in 700 and if theres thousands of asteroids floating into our path you could be down to 1 in 10... i dont think anyone can say how many rocks are floating in or around are solar system....

reply to post by fatdad


If i had the brain of a super-computer capable of several trillion calculations a minute, i might be able to give you an estimate for the average galaxy.

Obviously there would be numerous variables.

I might even be able to work out how long human beings have to live if we don't make a sincere effort to get off this [profanity] planet.

Which is ultimately what i think the OP is trying to highlight as a possible solution to all our terrestrial worries, as after all the threat of an extra-terrestrial object slamming into our entirely terrestrial body of mass is an entirely terrestrial problem - even if the actual danger is extra-terrestrial.

If the OP's finds are correct, We can solve this problem, but it would take an awful lot of genocide followed up by negotiations to do it (if we were going to rush things).

I would rather go down this way rather than a nuclear war or other human-caused event. There'd be no way to prevent it and I think if I had to die, this would be a spectacular way to go. The Elite can have their underground bunkers, I don't want to rebuild civilization.