We are but mere specks


Beauty, faith, Photography / Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Milky Way 18mm RAW 10.75min 3frames ISO800-1

The other day I was in a situation where I had to get up and talk in front of a bunch of important people and I was a teensy bit nervous. My heart started pounding, my armpits started sweating and I suddenly felt like getting up and running out of the room. I closed my eyes and prayed for peace. As I did, I thought about my husband…and Jupiter. (Yes, the planet.)

If you’ve ever looked up into the night sky and seen a very bright star, it was probably not really a star but the planet Jupiter. (or maybe Venus). At first, it seems just like a small twinkling light in the dark night sky. But did you know that Jupiter is actually so big that 1,321 Earths could fit into Jupiter and about 3 Earths could fit into Jupiter’s Great Red Spot?

It’s big. MUCH bigger than me and much bigger than the people I was going to be talking in front of. So I thought about Jupiter and about the Milky Way and all the bizzillions and zillions of stars and the infinite universe and then, of course following the natural thought process, I thought of God. And then I had to stop thinking and pay attention. 🙂 I was at peace remembering that no matter how important my life is and what I am doing is, God is INFINITELY huger and bigger than me or anything I am working on. I’m so glad HE is in charge, not me. And I need to remember that more often.

My husband has recently taken up photography as a hobby and more specifially astrophotography. He and I have always loved staring up into the night sky and imaging what lies beyond. With his super awesome photos & super awesome telescope, we are able to get a little closer look and it both amazes me and baffles me all at the same time. But when I start to feel all high and mighty or even scared about the tasks God asks of me, I look at his pictures or stare up at Jupiter and remember that I am but a mere speck.

Here are some of my husband’s recent favorites I’d like to share. Click on the picture to read more about it.

M51 9.5min 6frames ISO3200 coldhot pixels removed-1-3

M101 9min 6frames ISO3200-1-7

M31 8min 8frames ISO3200 1ISO800 coldhot pixels removed-1-2

M33 12.5min 13frame ISO3200 coldhot pixels removed-1-5

M42 5min 5frames ISO3200 and one ISO800-2

Milky Way center RAW Stack - reprocessed from 10/1/11

Pleiades 55mm widefield

M81 & M82 10.5min 7frames ISO3200-1-5

M104 2min 2frames ISO3200-1-2

Running Man Nebula 4min 4 frames ISO3200-1-2

M31 Andromeda 10.5min 4 frames ISO400-1-2

Waxing Gibbous

Straight from camera earthshine

Cloudy full moon 55mm 30sec

Cloudy full moon 55mm 1sec

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