Neptune, Vulcan, and Planet X

Neptune

Neptune was discovered on this day in 1846 though it is said that Galileo's calculations pinpointed it as early as the 17^th-Century.  Using the same methodology, scientists theorized another planet existed, as well, and named it "Vulcan."  While Vulcan's existence has never been confirmed, some still insist that it is hidden behind the Sun.

This "hidden planet" theory has since mutated into "Planet X," or "Planet 9," and features prominently in Doomsday scenarios, Flat-Earth MISOs (23/Isis), and books by Zecharia Sitchin.

© The Weirding, 2018-2019

PHOTO: Zeta Reticuli Star Map

Zeta Reticuli Star Map

Star Map of Zeta Reticuli -- the likeliest to be inhabited planetary objects closest to Earth (about 57 light years away, IIRC).

© The Weirding, 2018

The Lunar Pyramid

The Lunar Pyramid

This is an adjusted picture from the Apollo 17 mission which appears to show a pyramidal structure on the lunar surface. The original photograph is nearly blank, as is the one following, so the structure only becomes readily apparent once the levels have been fine-tuned. Though many have tried to debunk the photo, it has never been entirely disproved as a standing structure. It is offered without comment as to its veracity.

Other photos exist which appear to show the lunar pyramid surrounded by one or more similarly inexplicable structures, but they may have been faked. Apollo 17 was a 12-day mission with three astronauts, launched in 1972. This photo is from NASA and, if a hoax, it is not thought to have been intentionally perpetrated by the agency or astronauts.

© The Weirding, 2017

Watch Worlds in Collision: Immanuel Velikovsky Streaming Free

Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision

Immanuel Velikovsky is largely unknown today, though he rose to fame in the '60s and '70s for his 1950 work, Worlds in Collision.  A resurgence of casual interest in comparative mythology and Catastrophist theory in the 1970s was somewhat derisively termed Velikovskyism (it has also been applied to theories that attempt to rectify ancient tales and legends with scientific evidence).

The popularity of the questions he raised prompted inquiries by major scientific organizations, and became such a spectacle that it was its own scientific event, examined in "The Velikovsky Affair." Velikovsky's work and theories were vociferously mocked throughout the established scientific community well into the mid-1980s, but supporters still exist despite his "debunking."

Immanuel Velikovsky died in 1979, but the theories he proposed so captured the interest of both the public and the scientific community, that they continue to be debated.  Worlds in Collision remains a hot topic in some discussions.

Many of Immanuel Velikovsky's unpublished works are also available online.

© The Weirding, 2016

Antikythera Mechanism Solved?

Antikythera Mechanism - AP

Speaking from a conference at the Katerina Laskaridis Historical Foundation Library in Greece, researchers claim to have made great strides in determining what the 2100+ year-old Antikythera Mechanism was used for.

Discovered in a shipwreck off of Crete in 1900, the Antikythera Mechanism was long thought to have been used in some manner for Astronomical and Astrological means. Similar devices are mentioned in ancient texts. But researchers have been able to use modern technology to read the Greek text on the mechanism, some of which is merely ¹/₂₀^th an inch wide.

According to a team of scientists who have worked on this for decades, the Antikythera Mechanism was not only used to determine the position of the moon, sun, and stars, but to predict lunar and solar eclipses. Interestingly, one of its functions may have been to predict the color of these eclipses, although the reasoning behind this is unknown.

The team also said that it appears the Antikythera Mechanism was manufactured by at least two people, maybe more, and was not the work of a single individual.

© The Weirding, 2016

Meteor Over California?

A loud explosion rattled windows and even knocked one eyewitness off her feet as a bright light streaked through the California sky Sunday morning. Experts say it is likely a meteor entered the Earth's atmosphere, though others are still uncertain as to what, exactly, caused the blast.

Authorities say the meteor was a "fireball," a particular type of meteor that is often visible to people on the ground but rarely explodes or makes a noise. For that to have happened, the fireball must have stayed intact well beyond the point where most break apart.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

White Spots on Mars

L.J. Wilson of Nashville, TN reported having seen several white spots on the face of Mars in 1911.  The spots were seen near the region of Hesperia.  The account was carried by the magazine, Nature.

In December of 1911, a Prof. Luther of the Dusseldorf Observatory claimed to have witnessed "half of the disc of Mars nearest the Moon" turn green.  The Professor theorized it must have been due to a lunar event, but made no claims beyond that.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Mars Hoax

According to some news sources, an e-mail is circulating which claims that Mars will be "as large as the full moon" tonight (August 27^th, 2010) and tonight only: "NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN," the e-mail concludes. The e-mail sounds so plausible because it is, in fact, true... except that the August 27^th Mars event happened in 2003.

Yes, Mars did come as close to the Earth as it has in some 60,000 years (!), but it never appeared "as large as the moon," nor will it ever. Actually, tonight, Mars will be as far away from our planet as it gets, as its orbit around the sun is longer than that of Earth's.

Live Science says the e-mail circulates every year and has, since 2003.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Stonehenge Hosts Record Crowd for Summer Solstice

Stonehenge Summer Solstice (2015)

A record-setting 36,500 people were at Stonehenge to celebrate the Summer Solstice this past Sunday. Area roads were gridlocked and the main road (A303) was closed due to traffic. English Heritage, the company which runs Stonehenge, said some 6500 cars were parked in the designated visitors' area two hours before dawn. A 200 tent limit in the Avebury Ring was in place, following complaints by neighbors concerning the number of visitors in 2008. There were also more security guards and police than in previous years.

Celebrants danced to Druidic drums in the overcast dawn, while others participated in ceremonies to mark the event. English Heritage issued a warning about drug use (quoted below) and limited alcohol to four cans of beer or one bottle of wine per person. Authorities said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to drug use and drunkenness, but only 37 arrests were made (mostly for drug possession and minor disorder). According to both spokespeople for the company and individual attendees, the event was "enjoyable" and everyone was in a "jovial mood."

Summer Solstice is not a good time to experiment with drugs - the crowd, the noise and the sheer size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse.

The event has become more popular since a four-mile exclusion zone around Stonehenge was lifted four years ago.

Though Stonehenge was used for many things by many peoples throughout history, Stonehenge was originally a sundial and calendar, likely constructed by the Hyksos around the same time as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Echoes of Ancient Supernova

In the year 1572, a new heavenly body appeared in the sky, shattering astronomers' (astrologers', actually) notions of the universe. The star appeared in the constellation Cassiopeia and was even visible during the day. Danish skygazer, Tycho Brahe, recorded the event in his book, Stella Nova. Its appearance challenged the idea that stars were unchangeable - a notion which was forwarded by Aristotle and his acolytes and dominated Western thought. Now scientists have uncovered "fossil evidence" of the supernova Brahe first observed and recorded.

Using telescopes in Hawaii and Spain, scientists picked up echoes from the supernova reflected by interstellar dust. The debris has expanded over the years into a cloud of dust approximately 20 light years in diameter. Brahe recorded the first light wave to pass Earth, but even today, light waves from the explosion reach us. These "echoes" create what are essentially fossil imprints which allow researchers to reconstruct the original explosion.

The BBC has more information on this discovery, along with video.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Have a Nice Day

Australians spent a pleasant night beneath a giant smiley face in the sky. Thanks to a rare planetary alignment between Venus and Jupiter, the crescent moon beneath formed a smiley in Australian skies. The event was not visible to US or European skygazers.

A similar alignment was visible to the naked eye in 1998, when a sad face formed. Rightly so, some astrologists would note, as the last decade has sucked; maybe this bodes well for coming times?

The next time the three will be similarly aligned is 2036.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Whizkid Corrects NASA Figures

NASA calculated the odds of the Apophis asteroid colliding with Earth at 1 in 45,000 -- pretty good odds, all things considered -- but a 13-year old German whizkid noticed a discrepancy, and recalculated those figures for a science project. 

And NASA says his figures are correct!

Nico Marquardt noticed the astronomically-inclined eggheads had failed to consider the very real possibility of Apophis hitting one of the 40,000 satellites orbiting Earth on its 2029 run.   If that happens, it will change the asteroid's trajectory, making it hit Earth on its 2036 run.   Marquardt calculated the odds of this happening at 1 in 450!

And NASA agreed.

If the asteroid hits Earth, it will land in the Atlantic Ocean, creating devastating tsunamis which will destroy coastlines as well as inland sites, and create a cloud of dust which will indefinitely darken the sky.

The name, Apophis, comes originally from the Egyptians.  He was the enemy of the sun god, Re, and was a much feared serpent of the Underworld.  The name continued into later mythologies, always referring to serpent gods.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Was Moses ON DOPE!?

An Israeli professor of cognitive psychology has forwarded the theory that Moses may have been under the influence of hallucinogens when he saw the burning bush and received the Ten Commandments atop Mt. Sinai.

Benny Shanon mentioned his own psychedelic experiences, taken as part of religious ceremonies, which led to religious-based hallucinations and allowed him to "see sound."  He also noted that the use of psychedelics in religious ceremonies is a time-honored tradition in many religions around the world.  In fact, concoctions made from the bark of the acacia tree, oft-mentioned in The Bible, have hallucinogenic effects comparable to those of ayahuasca, an hallucinogen still in use in religious ceremonies in the Amazon.

Like the acacia, ayahuasca is a plant with hallucinogenic properties.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Mt. Sinai is listed as "E 101st St, New York, NY 10029, USA" because Israel's current borders are rightfully unrecognized by the entire world outside of the US MIC (and Israel).  This may be the address of AIPAC/religious -backed, legal representatives.  Mt. Sinai absolutely never existed in North America; it is located in disputed areas in the Middle East.  I just had to include this to point-out the incredible overreach of the US military industrial complex (operating in this case under the name Google, Ltd.) and its continued terrorist activities.  That is fucking crazy. - 2018

Cosmic Rays' Source Discovered?

Scientists have been puzzled as to the origins of cosmic rays which bombard the Earth. But over 370 of them from 17 countries, working at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina believe they have discovered that source: black holes.

They found that the rays do not arrive evenly dispersed, but hail from those areas of the sky occupied by compact centers of nearby galaxies which contain black holes. The magnetic fields surrounding these black holes may speed up the cosmic rays, explaining their super energies.

Cosmic rays are fast moving su-atomic particles and nuclei from outer space. Lower energy forms are produced by the sun, stars, and exploding stars. Cosmic rays are responsible for the creation of the Fantastic Four.

Alien Telescope Array Now Online

Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, funded the ATA, or Alien Telescope Array - an extremely powerful telescope which will scan the stars for signs of life - and it was turned on for the first time yesterday (October 11^th, 2007).

Run by the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronomy Laboratory from the University of California, Berkeley, US, experts hope the ATA may discover signs of intelligent life amongst the billions of stars it will scan. The ATA is one of the largest telescopes of its kind every built and it will scan a portion of the sky 17 times larger than the Very Large Array in Mexico.

The ATA was built using a mass-produced dish and off-the-shelf components. Some are calling it revolutionary in design. Only 42 dishes have been installed so far; when finished, the ATA will contain 350 dishes. The array's components will work in unison to take a single snapshot of huge areas of the skies. The first images from the ATA are radio maps of the Andromeda Galaxy and the Triangulum Galaxy.

Mr. Allen gave $25 million to SETI and they are looking for investors to grant the $25 million more needed to complete the project.

Great Cosmic Nothingness

As I have said before, I simply do not know that much about Astrophysics, Astronomy, and all of that stuff. I can generally follow along up to a point, but beyond that, it is literally over my head (no pun intended).

The other day, scientists claimed to have discovered The Great Cosmic Nothingness - whatever the hell that means - a space where nothing exists, literally. No matter, no antimatter, just... nothing. Nothing, as Descartes might put it.

What does this mean? Are there any sorts of repercussions or possibilities or anything to conclude from this? I haven't the foggiest. But I figured I would include the link to the article in case some of you bright minds had missed it. I'm sure most of you can make more sense of it than I can!

One Dead Star

Ah, Astrophysics. Infinitely fascinating, but I would so be lying if I said I understood much of it.

Scientists have discovered what they call a "neutron star" high above our galaxy, which they have named Calvera. They are uncertain what kind of neutron star it is. As one scientist puts it, "Either Calvera is an unusual example of a known type of neutron star, or it is some new type of neutron star, the first of its kind." There are seven other known neutron stars, which are often called The Magnificent Seven within the scientific community. Calvera was the name of the villain in said movie.

A neutron star is apparently a heavenly body which has gone supernova some time in the past and lost their outer layers, forming a supernova remnant. The center of the star collapses under gravity, causing protons and electrons to form neutrons - hence the name.

I could go on and on, but like I said, I don't know much about this stuff, so I'll refer you instead to the BBC article.

Oldest Galaxies Found?

Astronomers have announced that they may have found light from what are thought to be the oldest stars in the universe. They say they knew exactly where to look, as well as the specific zoom lenses they needed to use, and have had the stars in their sights for nearly two years now. They have tested and retested their results and are no confident their assessment is correct, though they admit their will be skeptics. The entire findings have taken some three years’ of painstaking work.

Perhaps the most important findings of this study are that, since the scientists involved were focused on such a small area of the sky, these galaxies must be very numerous.

- Source: BBC

Out of This World! - Super-Earth, France Releases X-Files, Hawking Flies

There's been a flurry of activity in and around our atmosphere this week and I didn't have the time to document it all as it happened, so I collected me a buncha these bookmarks and now I'm gonna lay it all down for you:

• Scientists have discovered a "super-Earth" near the Gliese star about 20.5 light-years from the Libra Constellation.  This is unrelated to the planet recently discovered in the Pegasus Constellation which they claim may also have water.  According to researchers, models suggest the planet should either be mountainous or oceanic.  The exoplanet is the smallest they've discovered yet and has been given the name, Gliese 581 C.
• France launched a website on which it has organized some 50+ years' worth of UFO (called ONVIs in France) reports, including scanned police reports.  The server crashed hours after the announcement due to high traffic.  The CNES handles over 1500 UFO or ONVI cases annually.  About 25% of these are labeled "Class D," meaning there is no official explanation.  About 10% of the total cases result in on-site investigations.
• Science maven, Stephen Hawking, went 0-G for up to 4 minutes yesterday in the "vomit comet."  He is hoping to go into space in 2009, when Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic starts.   It will take private citizens into space for a hefty sum -- about $200k!

© C Harris Lynn, 2007-08

Smart Dust

Scientists and others have discussed "smart dust" throughout the years and suggested many applications -- such as mixing them into concrete to monitor structure health, battlefield reconnaissance, and now planetary exploration.

Dr. John Barker of the University of Glasgow presented details to attendees of the National Astronomy Meeting.  By using an electronic charge, polymer sheathings over dust-sized circuitry could change shape, allowing the controller to "steer" or direct it to certain points.  The particles would be carried on the wind and by wrinkling or smoothing their covering, they could be steered and even "swarmed," which would allow them to pass information to one another and even make formations which could broadcast the data back to another point (such as the space station or Earth).

This reminded me of the many UFO reports of smaller UFOs which come together to form one object.  Obviously, these reports involve objects much larger than dust particles and the objects are far more directional than suggested here for "smart dust."  These UFOs also suggest some independent means of propulsion, but the concept of "swarming" made me think of this first-off.