Skeptical Inquiries

   The second phase of the study expanded the number of earthquakes to 910 events. These earthquakes were divided into groups of ten and the number of applying and separating aspects was recorded for each set. The first test in this series involved comparing the ratio of separating aspects over applying aspects in the random group versus the earthquake group. Once again this test showed a very low probability that the results were due to chance and agreed well with the findings of the first group. In fact the probability has increased that the results are not due to chance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

  The next test involved looking at the relationship between the numbers of applying aspects versus the separating aspects in the earthquake group. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    We can see from the results of the t-test that the two groups differ markedly. The next t-test assumes that the mean difference for each group will be 2 and the results demonstrate a virtual certainty that the relationship between applying aspects and earthquakes are not the result of random chance.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evidence set the stage for the next phase of investigation. Even though the odds against chance for the applying versus separating aspects seem impressive, they still would probably not convince many of the most skeptical of the scientists who are prejudiced against astrology. For this more physical proof is necessary. To achieve this level of confidence we need to be able to see this process being repeated over and over again in nature. It should be then evident in any given study that there are more earthquakes occurring before an aspect actually occurs than afterwards. The initial such study of the aspects sun semi-square Mars that occurred on the 11th of January, 2000 showed that there were 42 earthquakes on the two days prior to the 11th. Thirteen earthquakes occurred on the 11th and there were only 11 earthquakes on the succeeding two days. This demonstrated that ratio of 63% of the earthquakes occurred prior to the aspect and 37% of the earthquakes occurred after the event. This same condition appears in virtually every aspect that happens. Over 60% of the earthquakes that occur during the period leading up the aspect and 40% of the earthquakes occur after the eclipse. The problem with this is that most aspects overlap one another and it is difficult to find "unadulterated" aspects such as the sun semi-square Mars above. (The database that was used for this study was the USGS List of recent Earthquakes for the period in question. All earthquakes are greater than 2 on the richter scale on all studies. )  

 

 

The below series of graphs show the relative number of earthquakes that occurred three days prior to the given aspects, the day of the aspect and the three days following the aspect. The last graph is the sum of all of the planetary aspect graphs. The criteria for selecting the dates for the graphs and the aspects involved were as follows: a.) Only superior planets were used for the study, due to the fact that they represent the rarest type of aspect. This helped to isolate the influence of the aspect on the overall level of geo-seismicity, due to the relatively long duration of these events. b.) Pluto was not included due to its small size and enormous distance. c.) All aspects had to occur between September 1st, 1999 and December 1st, 1999.   

 

The first graph shows the relative number of earthquakes per day during the period three days before the aspect Jupiter square Neptune, the day of the aspect, October 10th, 1999, and three days after the aspect. The peak of 54 earthquakes per day is actually one day after the actual aspect day. The graph does however, show a definite rise during the period around the aspect. The second graph shows the earthquake response to the aspect Saturn square Uranus. The peak in the number of earthquakes occurs on November 12th with 93 earthquakes on that day. The actual aspect occurred on November 14th. On that day the second highest peak occurred with 77 events. On the 15th of November the seismic activity dramatically dropped off and there were only 38 earthquakes. The next graph illustrates the seismic response to Mars trine Saturn. There is only a moderate rise in earthquakes with 64 events on November 3rd, 49 on the day of the aspect November 4th and 48 the day after. The next graph demonstrates a much more dramatic response for the aspect Mars sextile Saturn which occurred on September 22, 1999. There were 52 earthquakes on September 19th. This number rose to 94 events on September 20th. September 21st saw 88 events. This number dramatically dropped off on the actual day of the aspect to only 48 events, but rose the day after the aspect to 68. The most stunning response illustrating the relationship between planetary aspects and earthquakes is seen in the next graph. This aspect was Mars trine Jupiter, which occurred on October 17th, 1999. On the 14th and 15th respectively the number of earthquakes on each day was 37 and 39. This number peaked rapidly on the 16th with 177 events. On the 17th, the day of the aspect, there was 113 events and on the day after there was still 87 earthquakes. The activity gradually dropped off on the 19th and 20th with 68 and 64 events each day respectively.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The final graph illustrates beautifully the geo-seismic response to the planetary aspects as a whole. For this graph all of the earthquakes that occurred on each of the respective days prior to, during and after each aspect was added together and the result were graphed. On aspect day –3 the sum of the number of events is 247. On day –2 the number of earthquakes rises to 309. Day –1 continued the increase to 454 earthquakes. This number starts to decline on the aspect day to 345. Aspect day +1 continues this decline with a sum of 267 events which continues with only 255 events on day +2. The last day under study has a sum of 270 events. This graph clearly shows the relationship that exists between the aspects and earthquakes. It also illustrates that the peak actually occurs slightly before the time of the aspect, which confirms the earlier studies, that correlated applying aspects and increases in seismic activity. 

 

   When all the experiments and tests that have been presented up to this point in this paper are considered then there is virtually no chance that there is not a relationship between the planetary aspects and the level of siesmicity that the earth experiences. The results can be easily replicated, or disproved by any other researcher. Through all of the analysis that has been carried out upon this data there has been an extremely coherent internal consistency that maintains its integrity no matter how the data is sorted. The simple facts are that the larger the groups of earthquakes under study the greater the probability that 50% more earthquakes will occur before a planetary aspect happens than after the aspects reaches perfection.

 

    Also that the peak in the rate of earthquake frequency will occur just before, or at the moment that the aspect actually occurs. There are more earthquakes that occur during periods of planetary aspects when compared to periods when there were none.

 

    There are some rather unusual findings associated with this research that seem to contradict some suppositions that astrologers have had about aspects. For instance, none of the aspects seem any different than any of the other ones. All produce earthquakes. Other studies have indicated that all of the aspects of the 24th harmonic are about equal in producing earthquakes. This is in contradiction to the notion that "hard" aspects, the opposition, square, and conjunction should produce more earthquakes than "soft" aspects, such as the sextile and trine. The last study also indicated that time; as opposed to geometrical arc may be the relevant factor in determining when aspects are in effect. All of the aspects under study produced earthquakes for about the same period of time before the actual aspect time regardless of the relative motions of the planets. Traditional astrological theory states that slower moving planets, such as Saturn and Uranus should have longer lasting aspects than faster moving one, such as Mars and Jupiter. However Saturn square Uranus produced a similar curve in relation to aspects as did Mars trine Jupiter.    Other studies, which are beyond the scope of this present study, have shown that many other astrological factors such as the zodiac and whole sky patterns of planets have a strong effect upon when and where an earthquake will occur. However, no effect has been found with any of the asteroids, or the moon’s nodes. The rule of applying and separating aspects does not relate to any of the local space points, such as the ascendant, mid-heaven, part of fortune, vertex, or east point. These points may play a role in the exact positioning of the earthquake, not in relation to aspects, but rather in relation to zodiacal longitude. 

 

   The fact that planetary aspects do have an influence over the seismic activity of the earth is a major conundrum for conventional physics. The whole reason that physical science as has rejected astrology as a serious discipline is that Newtonian physics rules out effect at a distance. We must then devise a new theory as to how these events are being promulgated. It would seem that gravitation is the only logical way that there could be an influence by the planets upon the earth. The force that the planets exert upon the earth is so minute that gravitation alone cannot be responsible for the observed effect. There must then be a harmonic effect that magnifies the gravitational effects of the planets upon the earth. The time space matrix is distorted by the presence of matter within it. For us here in the Milky Way the primary distortion around us is produced by the nucleus of the galaxy, which contains most of the galaxies mass. In local space the gravitational fields of the stars around us distort gravity. This in turn sets up standing gravitational wave forms through which the planets and the solar system as a whole traverse. These standing waves must allow a gravitational amplification of force that acts upon the earth as the planets form perfect angles with it. It may be that the planets act like transistors, with the emitter being the extrasolar systemic gravitational matrix, the base being the planetary aspect and the collector being the earth. Possibly it could be viewed another way. The emitter could be the outermost planet, the base could be the intermediary planet and the collector could be the earth. The aspect in that case would be the bias that would allow the transmission of gravitational force through the standing waves of the cosmic gravitational field. This type of gravitational harmonic action is seen in many instances throughout the solar system. Some examples being the harmonic spacing of the asteroids with the orbit of Jupiter, the spacing of Jupiter’s moons orbits themselves and the spacing of the rings of Saturn and it many strange moons.    Regardless what the mechanism is behind the effects of the planetary aspects the result from the studies are clear: the planetary mutual aspects create an increase in geoseismic activity. A great deal more research must be carried out before the exact relationships and the underlying forces are fully understood.  

 

 All rights reserved © 2001 - Brian T. Johnston