≡ Menu

Hear the Lord Out of the Whirlwind: “Where Wast Thou?”

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has revisited one of its most iconic and popular images: the Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation. This image shows the pillars as seen in visible light, capturing the multi-coloured glow of gas clouds, wispy tendrils of dark cosmic dust, and the rust-coloured elephants’ trunks of the nebula’s pillars. The dust and gas in the pillars is seared by the intense radiation from young stars and eroded by strong winds from massive nearby stars.

New view of the Pillars of Creation The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has revisited one of its most iconic and popular images: the Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation.

This image shows the pillars as seen in visible light, capturing the multi-coloured glow of gas clouds, wispy tendrils of dark cosmic dust, and the rust-coloured elephants’ trunks of the nebula’s famous pillars.

The dust and gas in the pillars is seared by the intense radiation from young stars and eroded by strong winds from massive nearby stars. With these new images comes better contrast and a clearer view for astronomers to study how the structure of the pillars is changing over time.

Violent birth announcement from an infant star

This new Hubble image shows IRAS 14568-6304, a young star that is cloaked in a haze of golden gas and dust. It appears to be embedded within an intriguing swoosh of dark sky, which curves through the image and obscures the sky behind….

IRAS 14568-6304 is  driving a protostellar jet, which appears here as the “tail” below the star. This jet is the leftover gas and dust that the star took from its parent cloud in order to form. While most of this material forms the star and its accretion disc — the disc of material surrounding the star, which may one day form planets — at some point in the formation process the star began to eject some of the material at supersonic speeds through space. This phenomenon is not only beautiful, but can also provide us with valuable clues about the process of star formation.

 Job 38 

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the cornerstone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

#####

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food?    when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Stellar Nurseries: The portrait features the giant nebula NGC 2014 and its neighbor NGC 2020 which together form part of a vast star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, +/-163 000 light-years away.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Kevin in PA July 26, 2020, 4:21 AM

    Really liked the firefly pic/vid!

    “Firefly, can you see me?
    Shine on, glowing, brief and brightly
    Could you imagine one summer day
    That same night be on your way
    Do you remember hearts were too cold
    Seasons have frozen us into our souls
    People were sayin’ the whole world is burning
    Ashes have scattered too hard to turn.”
    (lyrics of Passenger – by Grateful Dead one-time lyricist Peter Zimels aka Peter Monk)

    and with respect to:
    “I try to become more cynical every day, but lately I just can’t keep up.”

    I try not to be cynical, but life’s events just won’t let me.

  • Stargazer July 26, 2020, 4:23 AM

    In the beginning, God…

  • ghostsniper July 26, 2020, 4:38 AM

    It touched the moon and…..came on!

  • rabbit tobacco July 26, 2020, 7:37 AM

    God has two books:
    the Holy Bible & nature.

  • Nori July 26, 2020, 8:05 AM

    Breathtaking. From the heavens to earth.
    “Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?”

    Spent last night honing my cynicism;this has dulled it.
    Stellar Back Pages today,also.
    The New York Times,getting it wrong since 1936. When did the Grey Lady ever NOT suck?

  • Casey Klahn July 26, 2020, 9:54 AM

    Oh, sorry! It said “Hubble,” but I read “Hubris”.

    I have a case of the ass against science-tists right now. However, what wonders await us in the very near future! I was thrilled by last week’s comet sightings.

    Job is, by some accounts, the oldest book extant. It is certainly one of my favorite comedic writings. However, the awesomeness and fear of the verses you chose are wonderful, and in them, God is making fun of Job’s hubris.

    On point considering the state of science, medicine, government, citizenship and leadership today. All. Full. of. Shit. In a brown bag. I will get my news from comedians, painters and poets, thanks. Had enough of the bullshit artists known as politicians and reporters for a very long time to come.

    I saw a vid this morning of Karen spraying mace on some non-compliant citizens. They weren’t wearing their masks! Of course, they were eating a picnic lunch at the time. Libs are privileged by their superior knowledge and beliefs. In a word: Marxists.

    Ok, I’m on a rant, now. I watched a former fave movie again, The Pianist. Really poignant and hard hitting. Until you realize that director Roman Polanski is really double-ending you for a fool. Of course, the Russians invaded Poland, which is cleanly forgotten, twice. The first time, in 1937, to double-team it with Nazi Germany, and the second time, in 1944, to keep the sonsabitches for themselves. Commies. Polanski doesn’t tell you any of that. It didn’t happen; Russia was a savior of some kind. Horse shit!

    Yesterday we had De Blasio quoting Marxist rhetoric. Any politician who uses the phrase “bourgeois” should be horse-whipped in a fair civilization where freedom matters.

    Fed up.

  • Joe Krill July 26, 2020, 11:05 AM

    19th Psalm
    1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
    2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
    3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
    4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
    5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
    6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
    7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
    8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
    9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
    10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
    11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
    12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
    13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
    14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

  • Anonymous July 26, 2020, 2:40 PM

    +10 for Casey’s comment; “Any politician who uses the phrase “bourgeois” should be horse-whipped in a fair civilization where freedom matters.”
    Yes! Horse-whipping errant politicians is an idea that is long overdue. It is not as harsh as tar and feathers. That should be the next step, followed by hanging them from the nearest lamppost or oak tree.

  • NealinNevada July 26, 2020, 3:00 PM

    Politicians, and I mean ALL politicians, should be handed a paper before they take the oath to protect and defend the constitution. On that paper would be the following:

    You have voluntarily sworn to protect and defend the Constitution! Here is what will happen to you if you fail in your oath:

    1st Offense: You will be horse-whipped!
    2nd Offense: You will be tarred and feathered!
    3rd Offense: Your worries are over and you will see it coming!