symondrake.com » Astronomy

B1509: The Hand Of God

Symon — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:53:00 +0000

The ‘Hand of God’ taken by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory Satellite.

A 13 mile wide pulsar known as PSR B1509-58 (B1509) is responsible for this beautiful X-ray nebula that spans 150 light years.

B1509 makes one full rotation every 1/7 of a second. Think about that for a second. An immensely heavy star neutron star, 15 miles wide, spinning 7 times a second. Crazy. It’s magnetic field is estimated to be 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth’s. Double Crazy.

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20 NLT)

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” (Psalm 15:1 NLT)

Click here for a very large image of the Hand Of God.

Water water everywhere… not

Symon — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:34:00 +0000

I have always thought that our planet has a lot of water (understatement again). With over 70% of the Earth’s surface covered with water, in some parts over 10km deep, any educated person would naturally believe that there is more than enough H20 to go around.

Well, actually…

If every drop of water in the world (1.4087 billion cubic kilometres of it) including sea water, ice, lakes, rivers, ground water, clouds, etc. was collected in a single sphere, it would be just over 1400 kms across – barely big enough to cover Eastern Europe.

I still find it hard to believe, nevertheless, the math works out. Click here if you are skeptical.

Photo credit: Adam Nieman / Science Photo Library.

NGC 7293: The Eye Of God

Symon — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:20:00 +0000

This awesome image (click pic to enlarge) is an authentic photograph (actually, a composite of images) taken by NASA’s Hubble telescope. It featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day in May 2003 and thereafter has been immortalised on various websites and blogs (heh) ever since. It has earned the nickname ‘Eye Of God’ (I never knew God’s eyes were blue).

To astronomers, NGC 7293 is a Helix Nebula. To us normal people, it is “a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases” caused by a dying star.

Pretty awe-inspiring if you ask me.

It will forever confound me as to how some of us will ponder this image, and see it as further evidence of a Creator, and how others will view the same image and harden their hearts to even considering the notion that such a Creator could exist.

Click here for immensely large image of the Eye Of God.