Grab your lunchbox, backpack and notebook as we head to school for a crash course in science! We'll be studying the sun, the moon and the stars! I know we studied this stuff back when we were in school, but for some of us that was so long ago that a reminder will prove to be quite interesting and fun!
The sun lies at the heart of the solar system, where it's by far the largest object. It is three-quarters hydrogen and most of its remaining mass is helium.
It holds 99.8 percent of the solar system's mass and is roughly 109 times the diameter of the earth.
The visible part of the sun is about 10,000° F, while the temperature at the core of the sun reaches more than 27 million degrees!
Light from the sun takes eight minutes and twenty seconds to reach the earth.
The sun is as bright as 4 trillion trillion 100-watt light bulbs!
The sun is actually a mixture of ALL colors, but the eye sees it as white.
The surface area of the moon is 14,658,000 square miles or 9.4 billion acres, which is roughly a quarter of the size of earth.
It takes 27.3 days for the moon to complete its orbit around the earth.
The moon's surface has mountains, huge craters and flat planes called seas made of hardened lava.
During the day, temperatures can reach a scorching 400°F! However, when the sun goes down, temperatures can plummet to around -338°F!
The ocean tides rise and fall twice daily due to the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the ocean.
The gravity on the moon is only one-sixth of the earth’s gravity which means we would all weigh much less if we were standing on the moon! I like that fact most of all!
At the most conservative estimate, there are at least 10 billion trillion stars in the universe, but no human is able to actually count them all!
The color red usually represents heat, while the color blue represents cold. However, stars, like other heated objects, change from red to white, and then to blue as their temperature increases. Therefore, the red stars you see are actually the least hot, and the blue stars in the sky are the hottest stars of all.
A constellation is a group of stars forming an imaginary outline or meaningful pattern typically representing an animal, mythological person or creature or an inanimate object. There are currently eighty-eight constellations which light up the night sky!
The Big and Little Dipper are NOT constellations, but are called asterisms, which simply means they are star patterns which are easily recognizable. Both "Dippers" are made up of seven stars.
I don't want to burst your bubble, but stars do not actually twinkle. They only appear to twinkle due to turbulence in the earth's atmosphere which affects the light that reaches our eyes.
So here's
the million dollar
question!
So how did all this magnificent, detailed, meticulous, specific, mind-boggling, creative matter actually come to be?
Some say and believe,
"Pow, all of a sudden one day it all just appeared out of no where!"
Others believe in what is known as The Big Bang Theory which I can't even begin to explain because I can't even begin to understand it!
Still others, like myself, choose to believe the TRUTH of the Bible which states that there IS a Creator God Who created ALL things.
Honestly, wouldn't you agree that it takes much more faith to believe in The Big Bang Theory than to simply believe God is the Creator of ALL things?
How could a big bang place the sun exactly where it needs to be so that we don't all burn up or freeze to death?
Could a big bang make the moon's gravitational pull be so precise to cause the ocean tides to rise and fall throughout the day and also cause those tides to know where to stop so they don't wipe out all that's in front of them?
Did the big bang cause the stars to align just perfectly in the night sky so we have the joy of viewing the Big and Little Dipper and so many perfectly and beautifully formed constellations?
NO!
Creation was
NOT
caused by
a big bang!
The sun, the moon, the stars. The entire world and everything contained within was created by an all-knowing, all-powerful God!
"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
Genesis 1:14-19
This all-knowing, all-powerful God who created the entire world also created you and He created me!
With as much attention to details in which God gave to creating the sun, moon and stars, as well as the entire world, He gave that very same attention to details when He created you and I! Just let that sink in!
Let's purpose together that the next time we're feeling overwhelmed by the cares of this life, that we STOP and consider all the MANY precise details and intricacies which went into creating the sun, moon and stars, not to mention ALL of creation!
Then ponder upon the FACT that this very same God created you and me and He cares very deeply (more than we can ever comprehend) about EVERY single detail of our lives.
Another reminder
of
encouragement!
The Lord knows all those billion trillion stars by name!
"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names."
Psalm 147:4
If God remembers the names of ALL those stars, I really believe He can remember your name and my name! He not only knows our names, He knows everything about us.
Take a peek (or a long look!) at Psalm 139 and be encouraged by ALL that the Lord truly does know about us!
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."
Psalm 139:17-18
"Father, thank You for being the Creator of the entire world and all it contains. Your all-encompassing power is beyond our comprehension, and yet at the same time, You are involved in the smallest most minute details of our lives. Lord, we stand in amazement of You. We love You, Lord, and give You all our praise which You are so worthy to receive.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen."
YOU WERE
ON HIS MIND
WHEN HE
HUNG THE MOON!
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May God Bless You,
Barb
Linda
August 26, 2018 at 3:03 amHi Barb, I totally believe the God we love and serve is the same God who created everything. I've heard it said that the only "Big Bang" was God's spoken word when he created! As I look up into the night sky and see the stars, I will remember that God knows each of them by name - I've never noticed that verse in Psalm 147!! It sure is amazing that the all-powerful God ,who brought everything into being, knows us by name , loves us unconditionally, and as you say, is involved in the smallest most minute details of our lives. He is indeed worthy of our praise, worship and love.
Great post, my friend! We may be oceans apart, but you are close to my heart - and I send love and hugs to you.❤️❤️
Barb
August 27, 2018 at 7:05 pmLinda, I love your definition of the Big Bang! So much better than what most believe about the Big Bang Therory!. YES, I LOVE the verse in Psalm 147 which tells us that the Lord knows EVERY SINGLE star by its name!!! That is AMAZING. That's our God! Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. You are such a great blessing to me and I thank the Lord for bringing you into my life. Sending loads of hugs. Love you my sweet friend ❤