Chapter 20: The 811000-year Mega Cycle
Introduction
As we saw in Chapter 16, our Solar System appears to have a long cycle of 811000 years - at both ends of which all the ‘inner’ bodies of our system (Sun, Mars, Mercury, Venus, the Earth and our Moon) return to the almost exact same celestial positions (as can be verified in the Tychosium simulator). The question is: why would this be? Can we find any sort of correlation between this long period and other observed cosmic motions?
Before we proceed any further, this should be a good time to address another question with regards to the Tychosium simulator (TS) that readers may have on their minds: does the TS agree with other (heliocentric) solar system simulators – over very long time periods? The answer to this question is 'yes and no', for they all disagree with each other to some extent. However, there is one particular simulator (the "JS Orrery") that is of particular interest to the TYCHOS model, because its graphic construct / layout is quite similar to that of the TS. The man credited with providing the exacting algorithms and ephemeride tables for the JS Orrery happens to be Paul Schlyter, a veteran Swedish astronomer who - a few years ago - spent several months corresponding via e-mail with yours truly and Patrik Holmqvist, the computer-programmer of the TS and my closest collaborator. According to Schlyter (a staunch heliocentrist) our TS simulator was doomed to failure and would never reach the sort of accuracy attained by the JS Orrery. Well, let’s see how the two simulators compare over longer time periods (unfortunately, the JS Orrery doesn't allow to enter dates as remote as 811000 years, so we shall restrict our test to a time span of some twenty thousand years).
The below two pairs of screenshots (from the Tychosium and the JS Orrery) compare the relative positions of the Sun, Mars, Earth, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter on June 21, 1915 – and on June 21, 25344, as depicted in the two simulators:
The positions of our planets on June 21, 1915 – as depicted in the TS and the JS simulators
The positions of our planets on June 21, 25344 – as depicted in the TS and the JS simulators
As you can see, the two simulators remain in excellent agreement - over a period of more than 23000 years. Patrik Holmqvist and I are now satisfied that the TS is at least as reliable as any of the most popular heliocentric solar system simulators (in predicting secular planetary positions). Best of all - and most importantly - the Tychosium can do so while fully respecting (from an optical / geometric perspective) the observed conjunctions between our planets and the stars, unlike any existing heliocentric simulators such as the JS orrery.
The 811000-year cycle of our Solar System and the Sirius system
In Chapter 6, I speculated about the possibility of the Sirius system being the “double-double” binary companion of our Solar System. As the 811000-year cycle gradually came to light in the course of my decade-long research efforts, I finally decided to put to this theory to the test – using what is currently known about Sirius (through its observational data and predicted celestial motions). Sirius is observed to move towards our Solar System and is expected to become our South Pole star in roughly 60000 years from now. The problem with this prediction is that, if Sirius were to be as distant as 8.6 light years (and moving towards us - as officially estimated - at a radial velocity of 5.5 km/s), it would employ more than 469000 years to reach the “X vector” perpendicular to our Solar System’s ecliptic. Clearly, the official predictions do not add up - and something else must be going on. For the purpose of my research though, I chose to use that “60000-year” prediction (for Sirius becoming our South Pole star) as computed by the famed mathematical astronomer Jean Meeus.
Now, if the Sirius system were to be our Solar System’s binary companion, it would make sense that its ‘long binary orbit’ is of similar size to ours. Hence, for my geometric experiment, I chose to draw two equally-sized ‘wheels’ divided in 16 parts of 50688 years (50688 X 16 ~ 811000), overlapping the two in classic binary fashion. Incidentally, and as you may recall from Chapter 16, 50688 years (i.e. 2 X 25344) is the “Great Year of Mars”.
The outcome of this geometric experiment of mine (which surpassed my wildest expectations) is for all to see: our Solar System and the Sirius system will complete a full revolution around each other and return in the same relative positions in just about 811000 years. Moreover, as predicted by Jean Meeus, Sirius will indeed become our South pole star approximately 60000 years from now (as the Earth, having completed a 50688-year period, makes another half-turn around its PVP orbit):
The Sirius-Solar System 811000-year Mega Cycle
To view the full, animated 811000-year 'dance' of our Solar System around the Sirius system, go to: The 81100-year cycle sequence. The animation shows their relative positions over a full 811000-year period divided in 16 intervals of 50688 years.
0> today / 1> 50688 / 2> 101376 / 3> 152064 / 4> 202752 / 5> 253440 / 6> 304128 / 7> 354816 / 8> 405504 / 9> 456192 / 10> 506880 / 11> 557568 / 12> 608256 / 13> 658944 / 14> 709632 / 15> 760320 / 16> 811008
Hence, the various independent researchers who have proposed that Sirius is the binary companion of the Sun may well have been correct all along. Note also how this state of affairs may go to elucidate the existence of the mysterious "405-kyr cycle" discussed in Chapter 16. It bears reminding that this peculiar long period (405000 ± 500 y) has been identified by scores of multidisciplinary scientists as a significant "metronome of sorts" regulating diverse cyclical events (in the realms of geology, geodynamics, dendochronology, climatology and paleomagnetism). So far however, no theory has ever been put forth to justify the very existence of this particular secular cycle. The below graphic shows how our Solar System and the Sirius system will 'swap sides' (at 180°) over a 405500-year period, suggesting that some sort of long-term magnetic reversal might be at play.
A 405500-year interval of the "double-double" Sun-Sirius binary pair
The inquiring readers may now wish to compare the above graphic with Figure 16.5 (to be found in Chapter 16). In the latter, we saw that all of the 'inner' bodies of our Solar System return to the same place in 405500 years - with the sole exception of our Moon which will 'swap sides' (at 180°) over such a period, yet again reaffirming its role as 'the central driveshaft' of our Solar System - as expounded in Chapter 13.
The TYCHOS and the magnetic pole reversals of the Sun and Earth
The so-called 'magnetic pole reversals' of the Sun and the Earth are a subject of much debate and popular fascination. Yet, no firm explanation has been proposed to this day as to the causality of these magnetic reversals, nor much less as to the diverse rates at which they occur. The TYCHOS model, short of explaining exactly why these reversals take place, provides nonetheless a compelling proposition which would account - quantitatively - for the vastly different periods of magnetic reversals of the Sun (ca. 11.5 years) and the Earth (ca. 800000 years).
Above: A conventional illustration of the concept of pole reversal (of the Earth)
Let us first take a brief look at the Sun’s 'magnetic field reversal' period - as of the official reckoning :
"During what is known as the solar cycle, the magnetic field of the Sun has reversed every 11 years over the past centuries. This flip, where the south magnetic pole switches to north and vice versa, occurs during the peak of each solar cycle and originates from a process called a “dynamo”. Magnetic fields are generated by a dynamo, which involves the rotation of the star as well as convection and the rising and falling of hot gas in the star’s interior." 3D simulations reveals why the Sun flips its magnetic field every 11 years
So the Sun’s magnetic field, we are told, reverses in the very short period of 11 years. However, this is not an exact value since this period can vary from 9 to 14 years:
“Most people think of the solar cycle as having a fixed length of 11 years. This is not strictly true as cycles vary considerably in length from as little as 9 years to almost 14 years.” The Length of the Solar Cycle
It should therefore be more correct to say that the mean of this solar cycle amounts to about 11.5 years (9+14=23/2=11.5).
Do scientists have any clue as to why this solar cycle exists? Well, no:
“If you’re confused about the sun’s impending magnetic field flip, don’t feel bad — scientists don’t fully understand it, either. The sun’s magnetic field will reverse its polarity three or four months from now, researchers say, just as it does every 11 years at the peak of the solar activity cycle. While solar physicists know enough about this strange phenomenon to predict when it will occur, its ultimate causes remain mysterious.” What Causes the Sun’s Magnetic Field Flip?
In Chapter 16, we saw that the most recent geomagnetic reversal of the Earth’s poles occurred roughly 800000 years ago. More precisely, what is known as the "Brunhes-Matuyama reversal" is reckoned to have occurred 781000 years ago.
In the TYCHOS model, the Earth’s orbital speed (1.601169 km/h) is a mere 0.00149326% of the Sun’s orbital speed (107226 km/h). So let’s see how this pans out mathematically - with regards to the respective magnetic reversal periods of the Sun and the Earth:
0.00149326% of 781000 years amounts to ≈ 11.6624 years
In other words, it would appear that the magnetic reversals of the Sun and the Earth are regulated by - and are commensurate to - their respective orbital speeds! Another way to express this astonishing relationship would be:
- Earth's orbital speed is 66967.3 X slower than the Sun's orbital speed (107226 / 1.601169 ≈ 66967.3)
- Earth's magnetic reversals occur 66967.3 X less frequently than those of the Sun (781000 y / 11.6624 y ≈ 66967.3)
This sort of remarkable realization is, of course, only possible when viewed through the 'TYCHOS lens'. To be sure, no 'heliocentric' thesis has ever been attempted to account for the vastly different recurrence rates of the Earth's and the Sun's magnetic reversals; in absence of any official explanation for their respective periodicities, one may say that the TYCHOS model "wins by default", much like when a basketball team fails to show up at a tournament... In the next chapter we shall take a further look into aspects related to the motions of the Earth and the Sun, with particular regards to the optical implications of the same - as viewed from an earthly frame of reference.