U.S. researchers have claimed that moon was the culprit to make the cruise ship Titanic sink 100 years ago.
The researchers of Texas State University said a rare conjunction of the moon and Sun caused icebergs to be swept into the path of the doomed Belfast-built liner.
The “once-in-many-lifetimes” event brought together the moon's closest approach to the Earth for 1,400 years, a near encounter between the Earth and the Sun, and a spring tide.
All these factors contributed to abnormally high sea levels which helped dislodge grounded icebergs and send them into the North Atlantic, they said.
Preparations are now under way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the disaster on Titanic's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.
They may now have discovered why the ship’s route was littered with so many icebergs.
“Of course, the ultimate cause of the accident was that the ship struck an iceberg,” said lead researcher Dr. Donald Olson. “The Titanic failed to slow down, even after having received wireless messages warning of ice ahead.
“They went full speed into a region with icebergs ― that's really what sank the ship, but the lunar connection may explain how an unusually large number of icebergs got into the path of Titanic.”
Titanic's fate might have been sealed four months earlier on Jan. 4 when there was a full moon and spring tide. During a spring tide the Sun and moon line up and the combined effect of their gravity causes sea levels to rise exceptionally high. (Belfast Telegraph)