Changes

The Long Count calendar, which was discontinued under [[Spanish]] colonization, is also called the 13th ''baktun'', and tracks more than 5,000 years, then resets at year zero.  A “Grand Cycle” consists of 13 baktuns, each of which numbers 144,000 days, making for a grand total 1,872,000 days, equating to 5,139.44 solar years, and marking the number of days that have elapsed since the beginning of the present world, as determined an unknown priest in the year 236 B.C.<ref>Vincent H. Malmström, Professor Emeritus (Geography) Dartmouth College, ''The Astronomical Insignificance of Maya Date 13.0.0.0.''</ref>   

The Long Count calendar, which was discontinued under [[Spanish]] colonization, is also called the 13th ''baktun'', and tracks more than 5,000 years, then resets at year zero.  A “Grand Cycle” consists of 13 baktuns, each of which numbers 144,000 days, making for a grand total 1,872,000 days, equating to 5,139.44 solar years, and marking the number of days that have elapsed since the beginning of the present world, as determined an unknown priest in the year 236 B.C.<ref>Vincent H. Malmström, Professor Emeritus (Geography) Dartmouth College, ''The Astronomical Insignificance of Maya Date 13.0.0.0.''</ref>   

On the winter solstice in 2012, at 11:11 p.m. (UT), the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years, which is expected to result in somewhat of a disruption of energy which usually streams to Earth from the center of the Milky Way.  

On the winter solstice in 2012, at 11:11 p.m. (UT), the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years. However, scientists greatly doubt that the Mayas foresaw any event of astronomical significance taking place on that date, and astronomer Phil Plait<ref>Bad Astronomy blog</ref> states that the alignment do not fall precisely in 2012, and that distant stars do not exert any force which could harm Earth.   

 

However, scientists greatly doubt that the Mayas foresaw any event of astronomical significance taking place on that date, and astronomer Phil Plait<ref>Bad Astronomy blog</ref> states that the alignment do not fall precisely in 2012, and that distant stars do not exert any force which could harm Earth.   

In addition, the use of the Long Count among Mayan city-states was not uniform,  and some evidence suggests that some of the [[pagan]] priests understood that the cycle would end after 20 baktuns.<ref>[http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/index.html by Mark Van Stone, ''It's Not the End of the World: What the Ancient Maya Tell Us About 2012]</ref> Archaeologist, Guillermo Bernal of Mexico's National Autonomous University states there are other inscriptions at Mayan sites for dates far beyond 2012. The Mayan LongCount  calendar is seen to allow a far greater age for the earth. <ref>[http://www.blackcatsys.net/calMayan.html The Mayan Calendar]</ref>

In addition, the use of the Long Count among Mayan city-states was not uniform,  and some evidence suggests that some of the [[pagan]] priests understood that the cycle would end after 20 baktuns.<ref>[http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/index.html by Mark Van Stone, ''It's Not the End of the World: What the Ancient Maya Tell Us About 2012]</ref> Archaeologist, Guillermo Bernal of Mexico's National Autonomous University states there are other inscriptions at Mayan sites for dates far beyond 2012. The Mayan LongCount  calendar is seen to allow a far greater age for the earth. <ref>[http://www.blackcatsys.net/calMayan.html The Mayan Calendar]</ref>