last updated 21 March 2025
Do planets and the Moon trigger earthquakes?
The planets and the Moon, when in certain arrangements, trigger stronger earthquakes and the typical temporal clustering of tremors with magnitude 5.5 and larger.
What is temporal clustering?
Temporal clustering is the occurrence of stronger earthquakes, typically magnitude 5.5 and larger, at various locations across the planet in a short time, usually within 24 to 30 hours. SSGI models show a direct relationship between temporal clustering and specific positions of the planets and the Moon, which does not support the theory of random distribution. Temporal clustering is not to be confused with spatio-temporal clustering, which is earthquake swarming at a specific location, which can last for days, weeks or even months.
Which celestial bodies in the Solar System are most likely to trigger larger earthquakes on Earth?
Statistics show that Mercury and Venus are the main earthquake triggering planets, especially a convergence of specific geometry involving both planets within a few days.
What geometry between the planets and the Moon is considered critical?
Statistics have shown that the geometry that causes electromagnetic waves to amplify are conjunctions (0°,180°), right angles (90°) and semi-right angles (45°, 135°).
Can every planetary conjunction (alignment) trigger a larger earthquake?
No. Planetary conjunctions between outer planets, or outer planets with the Sun do not trigger larger earthquakes. Only conjunctions involving Mercury and Venus, or Earth between outer planets, can trigger larger earthquakes.
How often do planetary conjunctions (alignments) occur?
On average, planetary conjunctions occur relatively often. But in reality conjunction occurrence varies greatly with the movement of the planets, whereby each planet moves with a different speed around the Sun. In extreme cases there can be two weeks without a planetary conjunction, but also 17 conjunctions within 10 days.
What is a convergence of planetary geometry?
A convergence is when specific geometry between celestial bodies, such as conjunctions or right angles, group together within a few days.
How often does a convergence of critical planetary geometry occur?
A convergence or grouping of critical geometry between celestial bodies occurs less often than single occurrence. Taking planetary conjunctions as an example, a convergence of two planetary conjunctions occurs less often than single conjunctions, but more often than a convergence of three planetary conjunctions.
Does a Full Moon, a New Moon or an eclipse trigger larger earthquakes?
No, a Full Moon or a New Moon on its own does not directly trigger larger earthquakes. Only when a Full Moon or a New Moon converges with critical planetary geometry can larger earthquakes occur.
Does a lunar or solar eclipse trigger larger earthquakes?
No, an eclipse is a special case of a Full or New Moon and does not directly trigger larger earthquakes without the assistence of critical planetary geometry.
Does critical geometry between celestial bodies always result in large earthquakes?
No, a seismic response to critical planetary and lunar geometry can be an obvious cluster of stronger tremors in the higher 5 to low 6 magnitude range. It can also be a single stronger earthquake in the mid or higher 6 magnitude range, or it can be a major earthquake with magnitude 7 or higher. The actual seismic response depends on the stress levels in Earth's crust, i.e. a larger earthquake requires a larger fault section to have reached maximum tectonic stress. This is obviously not always the case. Since tectonic stress levels cannot (yet) be measured, actual seismic response is uncertain.
If planets and the Moon trigger earthquakes, then what is the mechanism?
The primary earthquake triggering force coming from the planets and the Moon is electromagnetic. This conclusion is based on the fact that often Earth is not directly involved in the specific geometry. See also our proposed mechanism.
Is there evidence that planets transmit electromagnetic waves?
Yes, both the Cassini and Voyager spacecraft have recorded electromagnetic waves coming from planets.
How does the electromagnetic force between planets and the Moon trigger earthquakes?
Electromagnetic waves from the Solar System excite electrons in Earth's atmosphere and crust. When a certain fault section is under extreme tectonic stress, i.e. has reached the limit of its strain budget, amplified electromagnetic waves from specific planetary and lunar geometry will destabilize the molecular structure where stress is highest, causing the fault boundary to slip.
Can the gravitational force between planets also trigger earthquakes?
The gravitational force is by far the weakest force in the Universe and probably too weak to 'pull' on tectonic plates. However, the gravitational force does cause weak perturbations between the planets and the Moon. Even the planet farthest away, Neptune, causes tiny perturbations in the Moon's orbit around Earth.
How do 'amplified' electromagnetic waves from planetary geometry reach and affect Earth?
The Solar System maintains an electromagnetic field in which the planets are embedded at specific distances from the Sun. This electromagnetic field fluctuates with the movement of the planets. Stronger fluctuations occur with specific geometry between the planets, causing atmospheric disturbance (high altitude atmospheric forcing) and indeed, earthquakes.
Does a seismic response to planetary geometry always occur immediately at the time of geometry occurrence?
No, the time between critical planetary/lunar geometry and a seismic response varies, depending on the condition, i.e. stress levels, of Earth's crust. While clusters of moderate (M 5-6) earthquakes tend to occur close to the time of geometry occurrence, larger earthquakes can occur 1 to 5 days later. With larger earthquakes, lunar geometry often plays a decisive role.
Is it possible to determine the time and/or location of an earthquake based on planetary and lunar geometry?
No, there is no direct relationship between planetary geometry and the exact time and/or location of an earthquake.
Is it possible to predict the location of an earthquake?
No, the exact time and/or location of an earthquake cannot (yet) be predicted. In our forecast models we use atmospheric anomalies to estimate potential regions. However, the accuracy of this method is still limited by the current technology that we can use.
What is the relationship between atmospheric anomalies and earthquakes?
The relationship between activity in Earth's atmosphere and crust is of an electromagnetic nature. A study that spans more than 20 years found a correlation between so-called seismo-ionospheric anomalies (SIAs) and larger (M≥6) earthquakes. The topic is also referred to as "Lithosphere-Ionosphere coupling.