30 October 2008
The most important photograph ever taken is...
...the "Deep Field" image, taken by the Hubble telescope. I ran across this video yesterday, and was sure I had blogged it before, but searching TYWKIWDBI I can't find it. So here it is.
Six minutes. Lots of Carl-Sagan-type numbers. Really, really, really, really big numbers. Something crossing the universe at the speed of light would require 78 billion years to do so. 500,000 million galaxies.
But then add the revelations of the "ultra deep field" image taken of an "empty spot," realize those are not stars - they are galaxies - and you have an absolutely humbling concept of our place in the universe. Anyone who believes that our earth possesses the only life in the universe lacks common sense and frankly belittles the magnificence of a God.
(thanks, Ovablastic, for posting this video)
Thanks for posting this Stan. I am humbled in the eyes of the Lord, for seeing creation in a grand scale I am reminded that "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handy work."
ReplyDelete-Psalm 19:1
i found this frankly boring and condescending. And i studied physics. I would prefer to gaze at the stars on a clear night than look at these images which are meaningless to us and for good reason. The narrator is incredibly annoying. I know astonomy. All you other people who havent a clue are living wasted lives. Not so. People didnt have these images not that long ago. Were they disadvantaged? Are we better off now because of this kind of knowledge? No. It is not important. its interesting to some, but not important in the slightest. My life isnt bettered becuase i have a greater appreciation of the size of the universe. Also, we have no idea if life exists other than on earth, no idea whatsoever, either way. To say it is likely is vastly overestimating the extent of our comprehension of the universe.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of this knowledge is that it gives us a clearer vision and appreciation of nature and our situation. This, in turn, can affect the way we live - for the better.
ReplyDeleteLife on other planets? God doesn't make just one of anything; not one flower, nor mountain, nor planet, nor star. Instead she makes millions upon billions. Thinking we are the only planet with life is a reflection of our ignorance.