The May 2012 solar eclipse and Pleiadian alignment

This May 2012 will witness a most rare and unique event, a full solar eclipse and Pleiadian alignment, occuring on May 20 and 21.

The Pleiadian alignment itself happens only once every 26,000 years, along with a full solar eclipse, which makes it an extraordinary “once in a lifetime” astronomical event which most would agree should not be missed, especially if you’re located in the geographical areas where the solar eclipse will be viewable.

Those areas where the May 2012 solar eclipse will be viewed include an area in Asia including Beijing and Guangzhou and southeast China, Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Osaka and Tokyo in Japan and in North America: from the Canadian city of Vancouver in British Columbia, through an area encompassing Anchorage in Alaska, Seattle in Washington, flowing all across the western half of the United States down to Reno and Carson City Nevada, Utah, Arizona and corners of Colorado and New Mexico, going over north western parts of Texas, where it will end at sunset.

The Pleiadean Alignment refers to the nine brightest stars of the Pleiades in the constellation of Taurus, also called the “Seven Sisters” of Greek mythology Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Alcyone, along with their parents Atlas and Pleione, which are quite prominent the Northern Hemisphere in the winter months and in summer in the Southern Hemisphere, viewable by the naked eye in the night sky as blue star clusters.

Known since antiquity to cultures all around the world, the Pleiades have been revered by the Māoris of New Zealand, the Australians Aborigines, the Tamils of India, the ancient Persians and Zoroastrians (with the meaning of the name of the prophet “Zarathustra” probably meaning “Golden Star” and what is a golden star but the Sun? The “Golden Camel” translation makes no sense since you’re not looking for camels in the heavens!), the Chinese, the Japanese, the Maya, the Aztec, as well as the Sioux and Cherokee.

This full solar eclipse is the first of three remarkable astronomical events in 2012, to be followed by the transit of Venus on June 6, 2012 and another total solar eclipse on November 13, 2012, as well as a penumbral lunar eclipse on November 28, 2012.