Below is a prediction from Nostradamus, the famed 16th century prophet. What might this cryptic quatrain mean for our future? The prediction nearly came to pass recently, and may yet do so. We need to watch the skies, for a celestial event will precede a great earthquake.
Century I, Quatrain 46:
Very near Auch, Lectoure and Mirande
A great fire will fall from the sky for three nights.
The cause will appear both stupefying and marvelous;
Shortly afterwards there will be an earthquake.
Auch, Lectoure and Mirande are in southwestern France, suggesting a light (fire) will be visible in southern France for three nights. Perhaps a meteor shower? I don’t imagine any meteor shower could be described as a “great fire”. I’d suggest the “fire fall” will be the northern lights, the aurora borealis. Nostradamus’ description is an apt one for the aurora borealis. The northern lights rarely appear as far south as southern France, but it does happen. To appear for three nights suggest a powerful light show. Nostradamus foresees this event as an omen of doom.
Line 3: The cause will appear both stupefying and marvelous;
What would cause the aurora borealis to appear in a spectacular display over France? A giant solar flare that scored a direct hit on the earth could. The flare’s charged particles could potentially cause a massive aurora borealis display that would reach far south. Monster solar flares are certainly both stupefying and marvelous.
Line 4: Shortly afterwards there will be an earthquake.
Soon after this northern light display will be an earthquake worthy of predicting. I assume a very disastrous one. Perhaps Nostradamus suggests the solar flare, or disturbances on the sun, will be the cause of the earthquake.
We are now entering a cycle of increased solar flare activity. On February 14, 2011 we had our first Class X solar flare in 4 years. The Class X flares is the largest. However, a widespread aurora borealis display did not happen.
Some stories about this event:
Another giant flare followed on February 24. The sun is entering into an active cycle. ‘Monster’ Solar Storm Erupts On the Sun
Shortly after the Class X solar flare on Feb. 14 but before the Feb. 24 flare, we had a tragic earthquake in New Zealand. On February 22 the deadly 6.3-magnitude Christchurch earthquake struck with a death toll surpassing 200.
Can the sun cause earthquakes? According to Nostradamus, we can expect an earthquake worthy of prophecy after a solar flare lights up the northern hemisphere with a spectacular three night light show. Watch the skies, and beware the ground beneath us.
MARCH 10 UPDATE: Major Solar Flare Erupts, May Make Auroras Visible in Northern U.S.
“The solar flare erupted at 6:23 p.m. EST (2323 GMT), letting loose a wave of charged particles that is aimed straight at Earth and should arrive in the next few days. The sun unleashed another major solar flare Wednesday (March 9), a solar storm so powerful it could spawn dazzling northern lights displays that could be visible from even New York City.”
This story demonstrates how a solar flare predicted by Nostradamus may happen soon. We are due for an extended period of wild solar flares. Watch the skies!
MARCH 11 UPDATE: 8.9 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HITS JAPAN!
On Friday, March 11, 2011 On Friday, at 05:46:23 UTC, a historic 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, creating a tsunami.
On March 9, at 23:23 UTC, a solar flare erupted, aimed straight towards Earth. The Coronal Mass Ejection struck our magnetic field March 10. A bright Aurora Borealis were visible in the northern United States.
The Aurora peaked at the same time the earthquake 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan, as reported here: http://www.examiner.com/extreme-weather-in-national/video-minnesota-northern-lights-aurora-borealis
I don’t know if this was the exact solar flare/earthquake event predicted by Nostradamus. This could be a rolling prediction that reappears over and over. This may happen again.
UPDATE: The blog Burnt Food Dude suggested this video. Burnt Food Dude It made me rethink what Nostradamus might have meant by “earthquake”. Scary stuff.