Another glimpse into the real universe, courtesy of NASA and their splendid site APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day).
I have to remind myself, while gazing on this beautiful galaxy, that I am looking at a real thing, and not a work of art.
Remember: a hundred billion stars, one of a hundred billion galaxies; and all beginning with something infinitesimally SMALL. Something that could fit in the hand of a child – the child Jesus’ hand. (Or, as Edward Oakes wrote, “Infinity dwindled to infancy”, but in reverse.)
If you are watching this on a touchscreen device (smartphone or pad), you can touch the screen with two fingers and then expand the picture. By doing so, you will see deeper and deeper into the Heart of Light (as opposed to the Heart of Darkness). It is dazzling, mesmerizing, overwhelmingly beautiful.
This was posted on May 15. Check the archives there (at apod.nasa.gov).
God bless NASA. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (Psalm 19).
O Ben Finiti 