Star*Points for December, 2012 Happy Mayan New Year Ready or not, here it comes. The day Hollywood and the prognosticators of doom have warned about over the last few years is almost here. A current cycle on the Mayan calendar ends on December 21 and, as some believe, so will the world. It's not the first time one cataclysmic end or the other has been predicted. It seems like only yesterday that the 1980s "Jupiter Effect" anticipated, incorrectly, a straight line lineup of planets and predicted, just as incorrectly, the world being torn apart by massive earthquakes. Fast forward to the year 2000 and the Y2K scare which threatened to bring on the end of a quainter, pre-911 world as we knew it then. Worldwide computer glitches were expected by some to bring anarchy as collapsing banks would no longer be capable of managing our accounts or making change, and blackouts would cause our food to spoil, starving us. Either that or the world would face mass extinction as nuclear stockpiles spontaneously launched due to confused computer networks. Either way it was going to be every doomsday prepper for themselves and folks were being encouraged to hoard everything from water to gold bricks. In between those events, as well as before and since, it's been one nightmare scenario prediction after another. However, in each and every case the sun rose the next day. That's good, but will the sun rise on December 22? Disclaimers first. I am not a Mayan archeologist. My knowledge of Mayan hieroglyphics is limited to those printed on a T-shirt from a previous Mexican total solar eclipse . I do not have a full understanding of whatever rationale lies behind the various denominations of Mayan calendar doomsday prophecy. Finally, what little I do know of the issue was gleaned via sources concerned with science. So, what is the big deal about December 21? It just so happens that the Mayan Calendar is apparently coming to an end and that the Mayans also expect the world to end with it. I said "apparently" because there is significant disagreement between interpretations of what they wrote. The Mayan calendar turns out to be cyclical like our own calendar. Instead of weeks, months, years, and the 400 year Gregorian cycle, the Mayan calendar has its own cycles, one of which is the baktun, a period consisting of 20 kaktuns, or a little over 394 years. Our current Baktun 13 is coming to an end. Is that significant as some are making it out to be? After all, it takes 20 baktuns to complete a pictun. Either way, the end of a Baktun is similar to a rare millennial roll over in our own calendar. Instead of fearfully cowering, the Mayans, if they were here today, would likely be celebrating. The Florida Museum of Natural History's Susan Milbrath said, "For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle." In fact, there are celebrations taking place. Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering its "Not the End of the World" cruise to Mexico. One of the local breweries is having an "End of the World Party" in Baltimore on December 21. If the world does end, you'll have a front row seat under the stars at Bear Branch Nature Center on Friday, December 21. The evening begins with a one hour planetarium program at 7:30 p.m. followed by a public star party featuring telescopes furnished by the Westminster Astronomical Society. The planetarium program will focus on the skies of Christmastime, and the possible scientific explanations for the Christmas star. The star party is free, and the planetarium is $5 per person. If you plan to attend the planetarium program, please pre-register by calling county parks at 410-386-2103. Aside from the end of the world, the other astronomical highlight this month is the annual Geminid meteor shower. Best time to look is expected to be on will be on Friday December 13 starting early in the evening. Other good times might be late in the evening on Thursday December 12, from midnight to dawn, and possibly even Saturday evening as well. It's a great year because there will be no interference from moonlight. Best if you observe away from bright lights or city sky glow, snug in a sleeping bag on a reclining lawn chair. In cold weather I usually toss a hot water bottle or two into the bottom of the bag to warm the feet. If you're observing with a group, arrange your chairs like the spokes of a wheel, with your heads near the center, in order to provide coverage for the entire sky.