-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- The End is Nigh -- Again: Scientists Say 'No Way' to Solar Tidal Doom By Robert Roy Britt Senior Science Writer posted: 01:22 pm EST 09 March 2000 Griffith Observatory has facts on the alignment Planetary alignments in general from the National Solar Observat The math of planetary alignments by Jean Meeus Prepare for The End. Or at least get ready to hear a lot of people tell you its coming again. This time, a planetary alignment due May 5 is the purported culprit. The compound effect of gravity would be the means. All manner of earthly destruction would be the result. In truth, the headline-grabbing event is poised to become this year's biggest non-story -- unless you count Y2K. Recycled doomsayers hocking books, advice and all-purpose survival gear, have a laundry list of scenarios by which newest version of The End could play out. Want proof that this kind of thing has happened before? What about those woolly mammoths that died with grass still in their mouths! The claims for what to expect May 5, which one astronomer called "a load of crap," reflect the standard tabloid prophecies: severe weather will rewrite Noah's adventures (haven't you noticed the weather�s been just plain strange?); earthquakes will tumble our cities; the polar ice caps will melt; even the sun might participate, hurling unbearable doses of radiation our way. This much is true: At around 4:08 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (8:08 GMT) on May 5, Earth, the Moon, the sun and the five visible planets will all be roughly aligned along an imaginary line in space. To be more accurate, the heavenly bodies will be arrayed within a 26.5-degree angle, with Earth as its center. Some are calling it the Grand Alignment. Scientists term it a "massing" and will pay the event little heed. The rough alignment is no more than an astronomical curiosity, says Donald Yeomans of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The gravitational pull or "tidal effect" that other planets have on Earth is, and will be, teensy. "A baseball held at arms length has more tidal effect on you than Mars at its closest," Yeomans said in a telephone interview. "It's absurd to think that the alignment of a planet is going to have any significant tidal effect over and above the moon and the sun." So what will happen here on Earth? "Nothing," Yeomans said. Search the web, and you'll hear another story. You'll also find a handful of books that either mention or focus on the alignment. Pyramid scheme Richard Noone, in his book 5/5/2000 Ice: The Ultimate Disaster? lumps all the standard fears together, proposing that the effects of gravity will cause polar ice to alter Earth's axis, initiating catastrophic floods and earthquakes. Noone claims a similar event 6,000 years ago helped the ancient Egyptians build the Great Pyramid. John Mosley, an astronomer at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, calls the book "an unorganized mish-mash." Writing for the International Planetarium Society's journal, Mosley says Noone's scenario is "extraordinarily shy on details." "Noone's arguments and his thick book will appeal to the New-Agers for whom all bizarre ideas are inter-related and who need nothing more than a planetary alignment foreseen by the builders of the Great Pyramid to raise the alarm of impending cosmic doom," Mosley says. The lack of details will set you back $16. Fright included. Apparently, people are starting to hear folks like Noone, as calls are dribbling into planetariums around the world. At the Fels Planetarium in Philadelphia, astronomer Derrick Pitts said only a few people have called so far, but he expects the pace to pick up as the event draws nearer. "It's too far out yet," Pitts said. "I think people are enjoying some time off from the millennium scare." What you can see Pitts, who has a weekly astronomy program on WHYY radio, is trying to raise awareness of the alignment. Why? Because in the weeks leading up to May 5, starting now, sky gazers can watch the planets lining themselves up. On April 6, for example, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and the thin crescent Moon will all share a small region of the sky. The show will be visible at 7 p.m. local time at mid-northern latitudes. But beyond skywatching opportunities early on, the May alignment is insignificant to astronomers, who aren't planning any special studies (as they often do during eclipses). And the actual event isn't even visible; because the planets involved -- Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn -- will all be on the other side of the sun. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soap-boxing! 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