Next week, the moon will make its closest approach to Earth in almost 20 years. Some fret that earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other disasters will follow
Keep your eyes on the night sky on March 19, also known as the evening of the extreme Super Moon, when the lunar sphere comes as close as it ever has, or will, to Earth. Some believe the astronomical event will be followed by catastrophic storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Here's why:
What exactly is a "Super Moon"?
The term refers to the unusually large new (or full) moon that earthlings see when the moon travels almost as close as it can to Earth. An "extreme Super Moon" occurs when the moon reaches its absolute closest point. On March 19, the moon will be only 221,556 miles away — the first extreme Super Moon in nearly 20 years.
Should we be concerned?
Those who believe in horoscopes might be. Some astrologers (not astronomers) say this natural wonder signals the beginning of a "moonageddon," coinciding with enormous storms, earthquakes and floods. Kit Karson at Psychic Cosmos further predicts that the financial markets could collapse as prices surge into "panic mode."
Is this for real?
Astrologists point to history to validate their predictions, says Ben Yakas at Gothamist. Both the New England hurricane of 1938 and the Australian Hunter Valley floods of 1955 happened during Super Moons, they say. The last Super Moon came in 2005, at around the same time as Hurricane Katrina and the Indonesian tsunami. Is there any science backing these theories up?
Absolutely none, says Pete Wheeler of the International Center for Radio Astronomy. All that will happen next week is that the Earth will experience a "lower than usual low tide and a higher than usual high tide." A Super Moon, he concludes, is "nothing to get excited about."
But what about extreme weather during past Super Moons?
It's just coincidence, says astronomer David Reneke. "'If you try hard enough you can chronologically associate almost any natural disaster or event to anything in the night sky." In the past, he adds, people thought the sun would be pulled apart when the planets aligned. "It didn't happen." And the catastrophic events cited by excitable astrologers didn't even happen that close to Super Moons, points out John Metcalfe at TBD. The Hunter river flooded in February 1955, "two whole months before and after bookending Super Moons." {“THE WEEK”.
VEDIC ASTROLOGY VIEW –
In vedic astrology too there is a belief that the earth quakes occurs near the purnima or amavasya.But these are dangerous generally when there is a graham (eclipse).but here if we see the transits then really there seems some problem but not exactly on 19th this may occur one or two day before or after and merely to some parts of the earth. For the predictions on specific areas the horoscopes of those areas, nations must be available. On that day mars and moon aspects each other mutually. Moon is already afflicted by Saturn because being retrograde this afflicts moon. Saturn from retrograde aspect aspects mars and mars aspects the Saturn.rahu aspects the moon and ketu aspects the mars. This can be said a very malefic and inauspicious bad transit. But in vedic astrology dashas are too important. Saturn is afflicting the benefic planet Jupiter also.
If we talk of India the date’s 19th, 20th and 22nd march can not be said well.
