Los Cielos

This week in my online science class, we're studying the universe. (Not, like...ALL of it...just the basics of the Big Bang Theory and the history of the telescope and the nature of galaxies and stuff.) Anyway, I just watched one of the required Nova documentaries. I'm so humbled and amazed by the scope and scale of the universe, and by our minuscule understanding of it.

There are some things that I cannot find adequate words for. There's something that my mom always says...What if, just if, in all of the enormous immensity of space, ours is the only world like this one? What if there's no other planet in the billions of galaxies, each of which contain billions of stars, that is similar to our earth? 

What a unique and incredible place. What a blessing to be here on it. There's so much that we don't even understand...I'm so astounded by the beauty of God's creations.

"This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which alight proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space..." --Doctrine and Covenants 88:7-12

Our generation is now so used to computer-generated images of space...from the first Star Trek original series episodes to Saturday morning cartoons. But when you realize that these are REAL--as if someone with a Kodak sauntered to the edge of the galaxy and snapped a few shots--it's just astounding. The following are images from the Hubble Telescope. More can be found here.