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September 23rd 2017 - The facts, the myths, the YouTube videos.

You might have come across the many nutcases making videos about Sept 23rd (next month) and what it going to happen in the sky. Biblical fantasists are practically orgasming with all sorts of overblown hype, ready to show that they were right and everyone else was wrong, and their religion is a fact and not just a matter of blind idiotic faith.

September 23rd 2017 - The facts, the myths, the YouTube videos.

Here's some facts. Yes, there is going to be an interesting cosmological event. No, it will not be visible only over Jerusalem or Israel. Yes, it's the sort of event that can be metaphorically described in Bible verse. No, that's not a big deal. It would only be a big deal if it was the sort of thing that only happened once in 7000 years or something. If that was the case, then definitely some ancient astronomers predicting it would have some actual academic interest. Remember when the Mayan calendar reached it's roll-over point in 2012? (Academically interesting, like their transit of Venus predictions, but not an end of the world in sight) Well, this isn't even limited to the 23rd of September. And no, it doesn't only happen once in 7000 years.

A lot of these youtubers have no perspective on history. They don't remember the last time there was a great planetary conjunction where the planets formed in the shape of a cross and it was 1999, and the nutters were all convinced that this HAD to mean something... If Youtube had been around then, no doubt there would have been many many videos about it.

For those interested in seeing what's going to happen, I'd recommend using a piece of software like STELLARIUM. (It's free.) You can tell it where in the world you are, what day and time you want to see, and it will show you the night sky. There's a ton of customisable features. And you can roll the clock back or forward at differing speeds. So you can see the event happen at your leisure. And see for yourself if it's special or only happens once on the 23rd, or is even visible at all where you live.

So what is the event? Well first, let's quote the relevant passage from the Bible that has "them" all in tizzy.
"A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth … She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod."

So - first, the woman in this case is the constellation Virgo. The sun will be in Virgo ("clothed with the sun"). But guess how often that happens? Yes, EVERY September. That's what the constellations are for. When the sun is in that constellation, that's how they told what time of the year it was. (I'm simplifying.)


The moon will be at the bottom of the constellation of Virgo. "At her feet." But guess how often that happens? Pretty much every MONTH. So there is always, in every year, about two days where both of these things happen. So far, this "event" is as common as Christmas.

Next up - the 12 stars. Much is made of this. "They" claim that there are 9 stars in Leo, and the arrival of 3 planets into that constellation makes the "crown" of 12 stars above Virgo.

Okay, first, there's not 9 stars in Leo. You can choose to count 9, but you could also choose to count 10 or 11 or more. "They" are choosing to say there's 9 stars in Leo, so they can add the 3 planets and get 12. But that's a matter of choice, not stellar fact.

Second, planets are not stars. Not even close. But facts are never a problem to the religious folk.

Next up - Jupiter is in the constellation, and represents the baby that the virgin will give birth to. It enters the constellation, passes through the "womb" area and comes out from her feet. Does it? Well, I will leave that up to the reader as an exercise. Go get the software and check, but you won't be surprised by the answer, I'm sure.

Jupiter orbits the sun every 12 years. So guess how often it appears in Virgo? If you said every 12 years, you'd be right! Congratulations on paying attention.

But what about the 3 planets? Even leaving aside the 12 "stars" problem, isn't the arrival of the 3 planets meaningful in some way? (Want to guess?) It turns out, NO, it's not meaningful or rare. The inner planets of Venus and Mercury have years shorter than ours, so they hit the same spot in the sky together relatively often. Mars has a slightly longer year than ours, so it is a little out of sync with us and the inner planets, but all three do line up above Virgo's head, with the moon at her feet, AND with Jupiter in her "womb", approximately every 2 to 3 hundred years.

Stellarium let's us see (and again you can verify this for yourself) that exact same arrangement which is going to happen on Sept 23rd 2017, happened already in September 1827, in September 1483, in September 1293, in September 1056, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Will these facts dissuade the fantasists? Of course not. They are immune to reason and facts. They will, without an ounce of shame, go back to making idiot predictions on Sept 24th 2017, as if nothing happened to prove their insanity, just like they did in 2012. Just like they did in 2001. Just like they did in 2000. Just like they did in 1999.

But for the regular folks, who may not be as gullible, try to remember when Sept 24th rolls around, which people were nutters. And the next time they tell you some hysterical panicky story about how the sky is falling, just walk away.

September 23rd 2017 - The facts, the myths, the YouTube videos.



September 23rd 2017 - The facts, the myths, the YouTube videos.
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