Hello ya'll this is my first post. I'm just learning about the galaxy and stuff.

I just want to post about the milky way. Is it just me or is the milky way getting brighter in the constellation Cygnus and Sagittarius area? I can barely see milky way in the Cygnus area last year. I live near to Vancouver. There are lots of light around where I live. I can see milky way very clear at night time right now. I can see milky way all the way from constellation Cassiopeia to Sagittarius. I just find it odd that I could barely see milky way last year 2007. I think our solar system is getting closer to contsellation Sagittarius.

I did some research is that the galactic center is in the constellation Sagittarius. Are we going to cross the galactic center in 2012??

Maybe your eyes are getting better at recognizing it. I don't think the distance we travel in a year would make any difference.

And no, we won't cross the galaxy center in 2012. Our solar system never goes through it.

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As above, so below

Welcome to BAUT!

There can be many reasons why the milky way may seem brighter or dimmer on two separate occasions. Atmospheric conditions, light pollution, amount of time used for your eyes' night vision to kick in, whether a bright moon is in the sky or not, all influence apparent brightness.

This may or may not be true, I don't remember in which direction we are moving. I'm sure someone will answer that. But even if it is true, it does not happen at speeds that make stars brighter. The distances involved are just too big for any noticeable change to occur in one year.

No.

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Yes the solar system does cross through the galactic plain... but not in 2012, or any time soon. this sort of movement takes thousands of years. In your lifetime it would be nearly impossible to measure any movement visible. I refer to this as progression, but except that, that may not be the term widely used.
As to your question regarding apparent brightness... I would assume atmospheric conditions have changed since you last studied the sky.. Like bush fires in Indonesia, or volcanoes in the Philippines...There are a lot of reasons why your sky might look clearer than last year. Enjoy it. It may not last.
From my vantage point the milky way covers the whole sky... and is often mistaken for a cloud. But this is because I live in New Zealand.

Our galactic orbital motion is roughly toward Cygnus, but the numerous stars that we see massed as the Milky Way are orbiting the same way. We are chasing them but not gaining on them. Even if we were gaining on them, the motion is too slow for us to see any change in one year.

Forget that year 2012 stuff. There has been a lot of hocus pocus, egged on in part by an artifact of the Mayan calendar.

I'm pretty sure the answer is among these, some of the threads concerning the inconsequential year 2012 (and related web articles):

1. 2003 no, 2012 si
2. 2012
3. End of Mayan Calendar
4. Pole shift / Planetary alignment 2012?
5. 2012 alignment question
6. about the Mayan 2012 item
7. 2012 Debunking?
8. Possible asteroid impact in 2012?
9. 2012 asteroid?
10. We don't have to worry about 2012!
11. More on 2012 from India Daily
12. 2012 Completion of conspiracy?
13. Here's what's REALLY going to happen in 2012...
14. crop circles, Planet X and 2012
15. Planet X, crop circles and 2012 cataclysma
16. According to the Mayans, what will happen on 23rd Dec. 2012?
17. More 2012 Nonsense
18. NEO 2012?
19. Dangerous NEO in 2012?
20. Christmas 2012
21. 2012 mayan calender end of world
22. Regarding the supposed polar shift/new ice age in 2012
23. New 2012 threat?
24. 2012 look at this thing on the sun
25. Russian Expert Predicts Global Cooling from 2012
26. Pole shift idea origins
27. Dec 20 2012
28. 2012 Stuff
29. Horizon Project-New End of World Scare?
30. Date: December 21st 2012
31. Earth passing thru Galactic center in 2012 - didn't that already happen?
32. 2012: What do you think well happen (if anything)
33. So what will we see in 2012?
34. Galactic Tsunami?
35. Plane of the ecliptic of the galaxy?
36. Earth's Magnetic Field & 2012
37. 2012?
38. Any truth to this?
39. How can the sun be aligned with Galactic centre?
40. the whole 2012 poles flip nonsense
41. Planet X Official Advertisement
42. What year are we in
43. Quick question about the sun
44. Galactic Alignment
45. Books of 2012! -
46. 2007 = 2012
47. Return of Planet X By Rand
48. Don Alejandro - Mayan Elder.
49. Toutatis 4179: 2012?
50. Galactic Alignment in 2012 ?
51. Solar Storms
52. A real prediction!
53. NIBURU - Brown Dwarf, The DESTROYER
54. 2012 Galactic Alignment
55. Not 2012 again! But I cant help it~
56. New evidence for 2012 TEOTWAWKI!!!
57. this may be a silly question but...
58. Just to know if this is true
59. Just Wondering...
60. Planet X/Nibiru, is it real?
61. Youv heard this a million times.
62. Nibaru or Planet X
63. Mayan calendar
64. 2012 Article?
65. can i say something please on planet x
66. Nibiru
67. The growing earth.... :P
68. Our Solar System's Eclipse of the Galactic Plane on Dec 21, 2012?
69. Something scaring the hell out of me....
70. Its Only the end of the World AGAIN!!! (Woo Woo Alert)
71. 2021 Doomsday
72. is it just me or is the milky way brighter..?

Universe Today: No Doomsday in 2012
Bad Astronomy Blog: 2012, the year nothing will happen
Universe Today: 2012: No Planet X
Universe Today: 2012: Planet X is not Nibiru
Universe Today: 2012: No Killer Solar Flare

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It may be because you are living in an area with less light pollution than you were last year, are having clearer weather this year, or are giving your eyes more time to become "dark-adapted".

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Were you by any chance part of this group? That might explain it....

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I tried to reply on friday and it didn't replied. I clicked "Post Quick Reply" then I got message in the next page saying something like" I'll have to wait for the moderator to approve my post to reply in this thread". Something is problem with me being new to this board?

Anyway, respond to Cougar, I never smoke weed.

Thanks for everyones inputs! The sky might be more clear but I swear it's getting brighter than ever. Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. I usually go outside for one hour to memorizes stars for several past years. I just enjoyed looking up the sky at the night time. It's full of mystery. I also have dreams about the Orion's belt. It was unreal.

I, for one, believe that our solar system is going to enter galactic center in 2012. Don't quote on that. If nothing ever happens, that will be good.

The galactic center is about 27,000 lightyears away. It would take the mother of all warp drives to get there in four years.

I know. That is just my predict. I have my own theory. Again, I do not want that ever happens to this earth.

astromark, I forget to add.. thats cool! the milky way lit up sky in the southwest from where I live. It look like light white cloud but it actually is milky way. I was thinking that the milky way would covers the sky in Australia. I'd love to see that! Thanks for sharing infomation.

anymore inputs would be great!

Please don't use the Questions and Answers section to promote your non-mainstream hypothesis.

Take it to Against the Mainstream.

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Again, it is IMPOSSIBLE to occur without faster than light travel, which is impossible.

27000 light years?In 4 years?We would have to move at 6750x light speed.

Sorry, but this just ain't gonna happen, besides, a theory in science is a well tested interpretations of FACTS and supported by evidence, not "just a theory" as in common speech, meaning an educated guess, that's named a hypothesis in science.

And about this 2012 stuff, come on, it's just made up garbage.All these stupid conspiracy theories about how smart the ancients were are nonsense.They were smart, but they did not have the tools to predict any galactic catastrophes.

This is just as silly as if I predicted the end of the world based on the end of our calendar, because on december 31 it ENDS!Get your tinfoil hats!

Anybody can make up stuff like this.

Maybe some mesolithic African tribe predicted that the world was going to be devoured by a giant lion in 2000 B.C.So what?

And we know on which orbit are we, and it is never near the center of the Galaxy (first letter capitalised as it's OUR Galaxy).

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This thread is about if anyone think that milky way seem brighter. I was just asking if our solar system is gonna cross galactic center. Many of you says no. Ok, I got it. I am one of these who believe in 2012. Like I said, do not quote on me about 2012. I want my thread to be stay open and not lock. Thanks.

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Forming opinions as we speak

No. Thank you.

It's still open. But, it seems to have been moved to where you can more comfortably make claims that are out of the mainstream -- even if they are just about your unsupported beliefs. Have at it.

Here, though, you are expected, required, to support your claims, so don't make them if you can't back them up with persuasive evidence and logic -- or admissions of your not knowing why you happen to think your claims are true.

So, what particular predictions about the year 2012 do you believe to be true? And, why?

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No. Folks have already discussed why it might seem brighter to you - for example, atmospheric conditions, less dust, etc., reduced light pollution, or simply personal expectation.

Very definitely no.

Since this has been moved to ATM, a couple of thoughts: If you want to ask other astronomy questions, please feel free to do so. That's what Q and A is for. Start another thread there if you want - just don't promote ATM. I don't think there is much more to say on Milky Way brightness, though. And, if you don't want to pursue the 2012 idea, you can just ask for the thread to be closed.

But, I would be curious what exactly you believe about 2012, and why.

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Seems to be another, "Don't confuse me with reality, my mind's already made up" cases.
"I have my own theory"
Good for you.

This is why alot of people dont bother posting here.

Youd have to be Albert Einstien to make a post.

Welcome Gatorain, and remember to be quiet, sit up the back and dont say anything or the Worlds greatest minds will beat you with their keyboards.

I believe in 2012. I believe it will come after 2011 and before 2013.

I hope it's why a lot of people don't bother posting their antiscience beliefs in BAUT Forum.

There are more appropriate places for that sort of thing on the Web, places where the members care little about skepticism and science, where astrology is more valued than astronomy.

Gatorain, feel free to back up your claims, if you're convinced they are true. Don't let mcbain discourage you.

===

Edit: Just reminded myself...

From the front page:

Yogiism (Wikipedia):

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This appeal to ego is unrealistic.
McBain, I have a question for you: Are you able to handle being wrong?
Let's take a look.

If I posted on here that I could drive, in a Jeep Grand Cherokee from New York to Los Angeles in 20 mins, the "worlds greatest minds" would not only "beat me with their keyboards" but they would also be perfectly in the right to do so.

Your post sums up the attitude of many ATM'ers who post thinking that they shouldn't actually have to Back Up or support their claims with hard things like Math and Science.

Nonsense.

If Gatorain can provide sufficient evidence to support his claims, the folks here will be happy to take a look. It doesn't mean everyone will suddenly become agreeable- but that's the nature of science, to investigate and hash it out.

If a person cannot handle being corrected (Such as myself, I have had to learn how to handle correction) then they can either learn or do as you said to do.
Your advice, however, seems very unproductive...

At least get his name right.. Besides, if Einstein were to post here, that fact by itself would definitely be ATM.

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"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" -- Charles Darwin
"Your right to hold an opinion is not being contested. Your expectation that it be taken seriously is." -- Jason Thompson
Meet the OOONG TOE.

What is your theory?

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As above, so below

You're Own Theory Eh?
Then you ask, "Is it just me or is the Milky Way Brighter?"

Input: It's just You.

So do I. And in fact, I believe in 2013 as well.

Why can't we quote you? Are you a famous scientist who might lose your job over this?

But seriously, you're free to think what you want about 2012. If you want to believe there will be a big earthquake, be my guest - science can't tell you that it won't happen. Could a big volcano erupt? Absolutely. Could we get smashed into by a big asteroid? Yup, could happen. But could we cross the center of the galaxy? Absolutely not. Impossible.

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As above, so below

Wow... bored much

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One thing that can sometimes make the Milky Way appear "brighter" is less haze in the sky. Last year was rather dry on the Pacific Coast of North America and there were a number of forest fires. The particulate matter from these forest fires would have obscured the view of the Milky Way. This year there are fewer fires so the Milky Way appears brighter.

Good point.
But even so- As dynamic as the atmosphere is, there doesn't even need to be local events to cause haze.

Global events- even from years before can cause haze off on the other side of the world...

It might be worthwhile to point out that Gatorain is confusing two different ideas. The reference to "galactic center" is probably just a mis-understanding of "galactic plane," which I gather we are to cross sometime soon. An easy mistake for someone not well-versed in the terminology, and worth educating. Some of the disparaging arguments might have been better directed toward education instead of sniping put-downs. There is sometimes just a hint of intellectual snobbery in the neighborhood, and I can't imagine that would be the purpose of these boards.