Is our solar system in danger from the galactic rift?

  • Thread starter mattbatson
  • Start date
In summary, the conversation is about a paper that claims our solar system passes through a part of the galaxy every 26,000 years, causing a possible life changing event. The person asking the question is skeptical and seeking clarification from experts. However, the paper in question has nothing to do with this claim and the Earth is nowhere near the Galactic center. Further research debunks this theory as pseudo science.
  • #1
mattbatson
so, supposedly this paper here...
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994ApJ...421..505U

is about a part of our galaxy that our solar system is now traveling through, and supposedly only does so every 26k yrs?
At least this is what this guy is claiming...
And he is saying this...""it is an arm of the black hole in the center of the galaxy and though we pass by a rift every 5,200 years we only go THROUGH one once in 26,000. There were several other such published papers but this one was the easiest for my lay-brain to decypher. Think of the rift as full of flotsam and jetsom captured by the black hole's gravity, too far to be sucked in but not far enough out to get away, our solar system, not just the earth, is moving through this cluttered rockin' & rollin' passage. Just a 'speed'bump would be enough make all our nightmares(or dreams) come true""

what he is trying to conclude from this paper is that we might have a life changing event due to all of this.

My question is...I have a sneaky suspicion that this guy is full of it, but am having a hard time explaining exactly WHY I think that, lol.

I'm wondering if I should ask this here? Or in astronomy?

thx
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Who are you quoting?
 
  • #3
mattbatson said:
so, supposedly this paper here...
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994ApJ...421..505U

is about a part of our galaxy that our solar system is now traveling through, and supposedly only does so every 26k yrs?
At least this is what this guy is claiming...
And he is saying this...""it is an arm of the black hole in the center of the galaxy and though we pass by a rift every 5,200 years we only go THROUGH one once in 26,000. There were several other such published papers but this one was the easiest for my lay-brain to decypher. Think of the rift as full of flotsam and jetsom captured by the black hole's gravity, too far to be sucked in but not far enough out to get away, our solar system, not just the earth, is moving through this cluttered rockin' & rollin' passage. Just a 'speed'bump would be enough make all our nightmares(or dreams) come true""

what he is trying to conclude from this paper is that we might have a life changing event due to all of this.

My question is...I have a sneaky suspicion that this guy is full of it, but am having a hard time explaining exactly WHY I think that, lol.

I'm wondering if I should ask this here? Or in astronomy?

thx

This paper
AFGL 5376: A strong, large-scale shock near the Galactic center
has nothing at all in common with what you claim. The Earth is nowhere near the Galactic center.
 
  • #4
russ_watters said:
Who are you quoting?

hey, a person from another forum.

He believes that we will be near this center on 12/21/12 and that this is part of the 2012 doomsday prophecy.

I just didnt know enough about astronomy to counter his arguement, so came here looking for some answers

thx
 
  • #5
ImaLooser said:
This paper
AFGL 5376: A strong, large-scale shock near the Galactic center
has nothing at all in common with what you claim. The Earth is nowhere near the Galactic center.

thank you sir,

I also did some research and found this link
http://www.2012hoax.org/dark-rift

a good read, and debunks much of what these guys are spouting,

there is so much damn pseudo science out there trying to prove one thing or another...
 
Last edited by a moderator:

1. Is the galactic rift a real threat to our solar system?

There is currently no scientific evidence to suggest that the galactic rift poses any danger to our solar system. It is simply a large band of dust and gas in the Milky Way galaxy that we are passing through.

2. Could the galactic rift cause any disruptions to our solar system?

The galactic rift is not expected to cause any disruptions to our solar system. It is a natural and common occurrence in our galaxy, and its effects are not significant enough to impact our solar system.

3. Are there any potential long-term effects of passing through the galactic rift?

The galactic rift is not expected to have any long-term effects on our solar system. It is simply a temporary phenomenon that we will pass through and then continue on our journey through the Milky Way galaxy.

4. Is there any way to protect our solar system from the galactic rift?

Since the galactic rift is not a threat to our solar system, there is no need for protection. Our solar system has been passing through it for millions of years and will continue to do so without any negative consequences.

5. Will we be able to observe any changes in our solar system as we pass through the galactic rift?

It is unlikely that we will observe any noticeable changes in our solar system as we pass through the galactic rift. The dust and gas in the rift are spread out over a large area, and its effects are too small to be detected from within our solar system.

Similar threads

Replies
14
Views
3K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
9
Views
6K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
7
Views
4K
Replies
24
Views
6K
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
4K
Back
Top