On December 21, 2012, the Mayan Mesoamerican Long Count calendar completes its thirteenth b'ak'tun cycle since its starting point, the Gregorian equivalent of August 11th, 3114 BC. This is the maximum number which can be counted to on the calendar.
Apocalypse Theories
- Completion of Mayan 13th B'ak'tun and the shift into a new 104,000 year cycle
- According to "Time Wave Theory" 2012 marks the year when "novelty" is at its lowest
- Albert Einstein warned of a possible polar shift sometime in the future.
- The Hopi Indians predict a great purification will occur.
- Nostradamus prophesied a Comet colliding with the Earth.
Significance
The significance of this period-ending to the pre-Columbian Maya is unclear, but it is often theorized this may represent in the Maya belief system a transition from the current "creation world" into the next. This has frequently been interpreted to represent the "end of the world" in today's popular culture.
Solar Activity
Coincidentally, December 21, 2012 marks the Winter Solstice. However that is not the only astronomical coincidence happening on that day. A "solar maximum" (a period when solar flares are at their strongest) of the 11 year sun cycle will also occur on this day. In addition, December 21, 2012 also marks the day when our solar system will intersect with the "Galactic Equator" of the Milky Way Galaxy.
