In fact, nowhere story Apocalypse

From the first half of 2011, when close in 2012, many unusual natural phenomena such as earthquakes have occurred in Japan, or Elenin comet will pass very close to Earth later this year, it makes many think that the Apocalypse has arrived ...


Early in 2008, the first time a Vietnamese website refers to this problem end of the world, is an article of Thienvanvietnam.org, the article mentions many predict doomsday may come in the early 21st century, including the Mayan calendar

predicts that on 21/12/2012 will be the end of the Earth.
Maya calendar and the end of the period over 5000 years

Let us return to the roots about December 21, 2012 is rumored to be the end of mankind.

In fact, December 21, 2012 is the last day of the Mayan calendar - a highly developed civilization around since 250 to 900 AD (CN) in Central America. Maya famous for its unique architecture and knowledge of astronomy and astrology at that time. I think the first couple to have to explain to readers through the history of this system and why it ended on December 21 next year.

The Maya initially use two basic calendar period (as in our cycle right now) is 260 calendar days and lasts Tzolk'in Haab calendar lasted nearly 365 days the length of the calendar today. Also divided into short 13 day cycle and 20-day cycle.

Then Mayan calendar systems combining these two into a cycle lasts 52 years (equivalent to the relative length of a generation / dynasty). Thus every 52-year period at the end of the calendar they would have to rewrite (I remember when the Mayan calendar does not use the numbering system in use today is the year we increased as much as be).

In fact, nowhere story Apocalypse
Apocalypse still 17 months away?

For a period longer than the Maya created a calendar to the more efficient use of cycles with 5 values ​​of 13 and 20 are the basic values ​​are used (in the sense of civilization this is the second figure is the highest position represents absolute). They choose a day is equivalent to our current calendar is August 11 in 3114 BC to the first day of this long cycle (they see it as the start date of the new world and civilization), on which is denoted by 0.0.0.0.1, the following days will be 0.0.0.0.2, 0.0.0.0.3, ...

To 19 symbols will be 0.0.0.0.19, day 20 would be rounded to the next row and will be 0.0.0.1.0, 0.0.0.1.1 day is 21, until day 39 was 0.0. 0.1.19 and 40 are on 0.0.0.2.0, just like every number in the next row (only 2 rows from only 5 to 17 and a second outer row is only 13) will be increased 19 before moving to next row.

Particularly, the outer row (top unit) are conventional only the maximum value is 13, ie the last day of the cycle is 13.0.0.0.0, this day is equivalent to the end of the calendar cycle 5126 years long.

13.0.0.0.0 The date of this convention is equivalent to December 21, 2012 forthcoming.
The period ends and the Apocalypse

Maya people themselves believe that there will be a big change or a great alternative that whenever a term ending cycle. They believe that on August 11 in 3114 BC (day 0.0.0.0.1) was on creating a civilized and modern world of human alternative to an older era, and so on ending with can about it will happen again, humans could be wiped out and can be replaced by a new era.

The subject has been mined in the 2007 film "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls," in which Harrison Ford set to be 13 skulls in the legend of Maya to save the world if not the Earth will be hit turn off its current axis.

From 1995 to now, there are rumors on the Internet from a website that has a planet X will pass through Earth's orbit around this time and will collide with Earth's strong and it would be the end so, know where it will fall right on Dec. 21, 2012 as mentioned Maya calendar.

However, we should know that astronomers have denied this information, and if a planet or asteroid large enough to impact and destroy the Earth just over a year will come here then that it would has been observed for a long time.

Like the earthquake a few months ago in the Pacific Ocean just on the shifting lithospheric crust has occurred in hundreds of millions of years, do not forget that the short lifetime of only a few decades we can then this is a rare and special, but the life of the planet billions of years this is an activity that quite often.

But the comet is very close Earth fly Elenin fact not only is nothing to worry but also a great opportunity for astronomers in particular and all astronomy lovers in general have the opportunity to observe very details of a comet. Even the solar system is approaching the plane of the galaxy, with a huge gap in the galaxy, then if at some point it can destroy the Earth is now just over a year ago that the forces it is enough to make countless disasters can not this quiet.

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki in "The Great Moments in Science" (the great moments of science) has written: "When a calendar to end its cycle, it will turn on to go to the next cycle follow. In our Western calendar, after December 31 is not the end of the world which is January 1. So 13.0.0.0.0 on the Mayan day will be followed by 0.0.0.0.1 News is December 22, 2012 - just a few days to shop for Christmas. " So you just rest assured that there would be no end how next year and do not forget this is done on July 12, 2011 (date 12.19.18.9.12 Maya calendar).

If you read this article after December 21, 2012 Do not forget to take glad you were honored to live through two cycles of the Mayan long.

Dang Vu Tuan Son (Astronomy club young Vietnam - Vaca)