Summer in my family means a lot of time spent at Lake Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma, about 50 minutes from our house. My husband, Bill, is an astronomy buff and one of our favorite things to do is to go out in the boat after dark, park it in the middle of the lake and look at the sky. This weekend was really fantastic.

The ecliptic is an imaginary line on the sky that marks the annual path of the sun. It is the projection of
Earth’s orbit onto the celestial sphere. It defines the plane along which the moon, planets and asteroids wander. In other words, all eight planets essentially lie in the same flat plane and follow the same familiar ecliptic path.

This weekend along this imaginary line in the sky from the east horizon to the west you were able to see Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus all at the same time along with the moon. What am amazing sight to see! Mars actually does look red! In the book of Job, God questions Job, “can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Can you establish their rule on earth?” (Job 38:31-33)

Scientists say there are thought to be 50 billion galaxies! How tiny does that make you feel? Yet, looking at those stars in our galaxy we know and rejoice in a God who knows us down to the number of hairs on our head! One who loves us enough to die on the cross so that we can spend eternity with Him! It’s almost unimaginable, isn’t it!

Check out the footnotes to the Job passage about the constellations mentioned. Also, read Genesis 1:16-17. Spend some time gazing at the night sky and contemplate the greatness of God and His love for you.

Love, Patti

If you want to, download the App called “Sky Guide” to your phone to enhance your viewing!