Though Men Refine Electric Lights

Photo by K. Hartnett

Though men refine electric lights
That dull their sensibility,

I'd rather learn from starry nights

In 'Wonder University."

-- K. Hartnett, February 1999

Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.  Full of splendor and majesty is His work...(Psalm 111:2,3)

The Summer Milky Way; a Lifetime of Wonders

Viewed out away from the glow of city lights, the majestic Milky Way stretches its glory from horizon to horizon.  This glow, produced by the combined light of the estimated 100 to 200 billion stars in our spiral-shaped galaxy, is bright enough to cast a shadow in a truly dark place.  The dark rifts in the light are caused by obscuring clouds of gas and dust, not by the absence of stars.  Hidden within this shimmering expanse are star clusters and nebulae of all shapes, colors and sizes.  Rich in beauty as well as scientific intrigue, the stellar members of our galaxy reveal physical qualities which are at the  extremes. Their temperatures, pressures, luminosities, and velocities- well beyond those reproducible in laboratories on earth- give us new insights into the laws of physics.  Recent efforts have been made in the courts to protect the night sky from the overpowering glow of city lights through the wise use of downward-directed lighting.

The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples behold His glory. (Psalm 97:6)

For about eight years during the 1990’s I gave lectures and organized others to speak at an informal educational forum called ‘Wonder University.’  In it we explored together the marvels of God’s world expressed through the intellectual disciplines of both the arts and the sciences.  Though grateful for the technological marvels that mark our generation, I’d much rather spend my time studying God-made wonders than man-made ones.  The amazingly rich natural realm has much to teach us about the truly wonderful nature of the God who created it.