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By John Major Jenkins
It is important to define what the Galactic Alignment is in precise astronomical terms. (See the Glossary below for terms.)
The Galactic Alignment is the alignment
of the December solstice sun with the Galactic equator. This alignment
occurs as a result of the precession of the equinoxes.
Precession is caused by the earth
wobbling very slowly on its axis and shifts the position of the
equinoxes and solstices one degree every 71.5 years. Because the sun is
one-half of a degree wide, it will take the December solstice sun 36
years to precess through the Galactic equator (see diagram below).
The precise alignment of the solstice point
(the precise center-point of the body of the sun as viewed from earth)
with the Galactic equator was calculated to occur in 1998 (Jean Meeus, Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, 1997).
Thus, the Galactic Alignment "zone" is 1998 +/- 18 years = 1980 - 2016. This is "era-2012."
This Galactic Alignment occurs only once
every 26,000 years, and was what the ancient Maya were pointing to with
the 2012 end-date of their Long Count calendar.
These are the astronomical facts of the
matter. From a larger perspective, we can visualize the 2012 Galactic
Alignment in the following way:
Position A is where the December
solstice sun was in relation to the Milky Way some 3,000 years ago.
Position B is 1,500 years ago. And position C is "era-2012", when the
December solstice sun has converged, as a result of the precession of
the equinoxes, with the exact center-line of the Milky Way (the Galactic
equator). Notice that the place of alignment is where the 'nuclear
bulge' of the Galactic Center is located.
A long awaiting digital portrayal of precession and galactic alignments is now available on Nick Fiorenza's web site.
Descriptions of the process are also
there, but it should be noted that Nick describes what I refer to as
"the solstice-galaxy alignment" with a preference for the equinox as the
measuring reference. Thus, he speaks of the "Holy Cross" of the equinox
axis and the Milky Way. The point is that "solstice-galaxy alignment"
and "equinox-galaxy cross" refer to the same event.
It is my hope that the these definitions
will help to standardize the terminology so we can clearly discuss the
rare precessional alignment that culminates in era-2012.
The ecliptic: The path followed by the
sun, moon, and planets. It is the plane of our solar system. The
ecliptic encircles the earth and is divided into twelve constellations,
or zodiac signs.
The Milky Way: The bright band of star
that our solar system belongs to. It encircles the earth and is wider in
the region of Sagittarius because that is where the 'nucelar bulge" of
the Milky Way's center is located (our Milky Way is saucer shaped).
The Galactic equator: The precise
mid-line running down the Milky Way. Analogous to the earth's equator,
it divides the galaxy into two hemispheres, or lobes.
The Dark Rift in the Milky Way: A
feature caused by interstellar dust that runs along the Milky Way from
the Galactic Center northward past the constellation of Aquila.
The December solstice sun: The sun, on the December solstice. It is one-half of a degree wide.
The December solstice point: The precise midpoint of the sun, on the December solstice.
The Precession of the equinoxes: The
earth wobbles very slowly on its axis and this causes the position of
the equinox to shift backwards, or precess, through the signs of the
ecliptic at the rate of one degree every 71.5 years. The full
precessional wobble is complete in roughly 25,800 years.
The vernal equinox point is defined by the intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator.
The Celestial Equator: The earth's equator projected into the stars. It is the plane of the earth's rotation.
The Cross formed by the Milky Way and
the ecliptic: Exactly as stated. There are two of these, one in early
Sagittarius, the other in early Gemini. The former cross has the virtue
of being located within the nuclear bulge of the Galactic Center.
The nuclear bulge / the Galactic Center:
A bright and wide region of the Milky Way, visible to the naked eye and
between Sagittarius and Scorpio. The more precise and abstract
center-point of the nuclear bulge is the precise Galactic Center,
located at about 6 degrees Sagittarius (sidereal) and 27 degrees in the
tropical zodiac.
We can have a more general discussion of
galactic alignments in history if we consider that the solstice axis
aligns with the galactic equator every half precession cycle. Likewise,
the equinox axis aligns with the galactic equator every half precession
cycle. Thus, galactic alignments, more generally speaking, occur in era
2012 (1980 - 2016) and every quarter precession cycle before and after
era 2012.
In terms of Mayan astronomy and
mythology, the Dark Rift feature (which the Maya called the Black Road
or Xibalba be) lies along the galactic equator (the Milky Way) in the
place where the December solstice sun will be in 2012. (More precisely,
the December solstice sun will reach the southern terminus of the Dark
Rift, where it touches the ecliptic in Sagittarius.) Thus, in terms of
Mayan mythology, we can also describe the Galactic Alignment of era-2012
as the alignment of the December solstice sun and the Dark Rift. This
entire region is targeted by the cross formed by the Milky Way and the
ecliptic between Sagittarius and Scorpio. This Cross was also recognized
by the Maya, and was called the Crossroads or Sacred Tree. This entire
region is embraced by what astronomers call the 'nuclear bulge' of the
Galactic Center-the center of our Milky Way galaxy. As any amateur
astronomer or naked-eye star gazer knows, this nuclear bulge is
recognizable without the aid of radio telescopes. It is wider and
brighter than other parts of the Milky Way. So, in a general sense we
can also say that the alignment in 2012 is an alignment between the
December solstice sun and the Galactic Center. However, since the
nuclear bulge is quite large, this definition is not as precise as
saying "the alignment of the December solstice sun with the Galactic
equator", which occurs in the range 1980 - 2016. This is the alignment
zone I refer to with the term "era-2012."
