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Tag Archives: Genesis

ⓜ The Immense Invitation

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on July 2, 2020 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2020
This entry is part 27 of 55 in the series And Then I Wrote

And then I wrote… The year 2009 was the International Year of Astronomy: 400 years since Galileo first gazed at the sky through a telescope, and 40 years since humans first set foot on the Moon. In its honor, the Redemptorist Press invited me to write a series of reflections on issues of religion and science for the Sunday bulletins that are distributed in churches throughout the United Kingdom. As it happens, the days of the week in 2009 match those of 2020 (after this year’s leap day) and the liturgical calendar also matches; thus, both in 2009 and 2020, the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time falls on 5 July. Here’s what I wrote for the first reflection: We all learned in school that the world is round. But, day to day, each of us lives in a much narrower universe. We look to the horizon and see only a flat expanse, a few buildings or trees, with ourselves at … Continue reading →

Posted in And Then I Wrote, Commentary, Religion | Tagged Genesis, Job, Pope John Paul II | 2 Replies

Skyward: January 2019

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 4, 2019 by David LevyJanuary 4, 2019

For those of us who were alive back then, where were you on Christmas Eve, in the year 1968? I remember exactly where I was: sitting in front of my family’s television, we were watching a surreal scene on TV. There was a camera peering through a triangular-shaped window on a spacecraft called Apollo 8, out of which was a view of mountains, plains, and craters. And at the bottom of the screen were the words, “Live from the Moon.” I have a feeling that most of you, if you were living then, were watching too. The Apollo 8 Christmas eve broadcast was the most watched television program in the world up to that time. The announcer on our station, Walter Cronkite, was not saying much. Occasionally he would update us as to what part of the Moon the spacecraft was looking at, but most of the time, the view on the screen said it all. And it was magical. … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Outreach | Tagged Apollo 8, David Levy, Genesis, Moon | Leave a reply

Remembering Apollo 8

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on December 24, 2018 by Bob TrembleyDecember 24, 2018

Christmas Eve 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission, which put humans into orbit around the Moon for the first time. From lunar orbit, an image of the Earth rising over the limb of the Moon was taken; “Earthrise” went on to become one of the most influential photographs of the space age, gracing the cover of TIME Magazine, and a U.S. postage stamp. On December 24, 1968, with the surface of the Moon rolling-by outside their windows, the Apollo 8 astronauts read the first 10 verses of Genesis to the largest broadcast TV audience in history (at that point in time). Video: TIME interview with the 3 Apollo 8 astronauts The year 1968 saw terrible tragedies, including the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., and the riots in Detroit. It’s fair to say that regardless of one’s religion, the Christmas message from Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman, command module pilot Jim Lovell, and lunar … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Science, Space Exploration | Tagged Apollo, Apollo 8, Earthrise, Genesis, Kerbal Space Program, Walter Cronkite | 3 Replies

Count the Stars, if You Can!

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on March 20, 2015 by Fr. James KurzynskiMarch 24, 2015

Genesis 15:1-7 Some time afterward, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not fear, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great. But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what can you give me, if I die childless and have only a servant of my household, Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant of my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: No, that one will not be your heir; your own offspring will be your heir. He took him outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be. Abram put his faith in the LORD, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness. He then said to him: I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Genesis | Leave a reply
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Recent Posts

From The Backyard: Covid-19 Vaccines, Cultural Trauma, and the Orion Nebula

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 25, 2021 by Fr. James KurzynskiJanuary 25, 2021

It’s been a long, long time since I offered a “From the backyard” reflection. Part of the reason for this delay is the occupational hazard of all astro-buffs: Clouds! I can’t speak for other parts of the United States, but the cloud cover over Wisconsin has been epic. Clouds at … Continue reading…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | September 25, 1983: Leo O’Donovan SJ

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 24, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 24, 2021
This entry is part 78 of 78 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Once again, we break the chronological sequence to highlight a name relevant to events of this past … Continue reading…

Posted in History, Popular Culture | Tagged Georgetown, Inauguration, O'Donovan, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory, Weston | Leave a reply

Faith, Science and Astronomy Textbooks

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 23, 2021 by Christopher M. GraneyJanuary 19, 2021

Take a look at a new resource on the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science website!—brief reviews of astronomy textbooks from a “Faith and Science” perspective.  You will find all this under “Educational Resources”. The idea for these reviews arose from questions that Vatican Observatory/V.O. Foundation folks have received over time, … Continue reading…

Posted in Education | 1 Reply

Go Observe Plato

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 22, 2021 by Deirdre KelleghanJanuary 22, 2021

  Plato – Walled Plain by Deirdre Kelleghan February 25th 2007 – 20:45UT – 21:45UT 200mm/F6/6.3mm – Plossel/193X – 8.19days – 300gm Daler Rowney paper/DR soft pastels/Black watercolour pencil/wooden cocktail stick.   This blog was first published in January 2018. If you read this today January 22nd 2021 you should … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, Education, Moon, Outreach | Tagged Astronomical Drawing, Moon drawing, Plato, Sketching | Leave a reply

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 28 January, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoJanuary 19, 2021

Featuring Dr. Michelle Francl, and the latest news of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope! Just for our paying members: on the next Full Moon, January 28, a week from when we are posting this, we’ll be holding our regular on-line meetup where we get to know and chat with each … Continue reading…

Posted in Announcement | Tagged Full Moon Zoom | Leave a reply

ⓜ Curiosity and the Exploration of Mars, II

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoJanuary 16, 2021
This entry is part of 55 in the series And Then I Wrote

And then I wrote… this is the second half of the article I started last week, originally published in Italian in Civiltà Cattolica; this is the original English text. While much has developed since this article was written — see the links inserted here — I think the questions I raised then … Continue reading…

Posted in And Then I Wrote, Space Exploration | Tagged Mars, NASA Solar System Exploration | Leave a reply
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Recent Comments

  • Joel Hopko January 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksProfessor Graney -- Call me easily placated, but I was actually somewhat relieved that most of the texts reviewed at least attempted to provide some nuance to the Galileo narrative. Certainly an improvement over the "martyr for science" trope so frequently dispensed over popular media. Obviously much work remains, but...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski January 20, 2021 at 6:48 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thanks Janine! I love your reflection on the Al Amal mission! I was so impressed with the video they produced and, yes, I can't wait to see the United Arab Emirates contribution to science! It's something that isn't mentioned much, but should be mentioned more: True science, by its very...
  • Janine Samz January 19, 2021 at 9:37 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thank you, Father. Let's see. I am drawn to three! The Emirates one is interesting because of the extent of what they are looking for and from history I know the Arab culture used to be a leader in science. It would be interesting to see them at work again...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 19, 2021 at 8:59 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonMy experience with students and the general public is that a reasonable number of people will be amazed by the real universe. For example, people who saw the conjunction on the 21st were generally amazed. But certainly Cosmos seems to think that stuff has to be over the top.
  • Stan Sienkiewicz January 16, 2021 at 9:17 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonIt is a shame that the producers of the show are not amazed by the real world and need to enhance reality with special effects. I feel you are discussing a topic that is coming up quite often about our culture: the lack of astonishment. I recently had taken a...
  • Fernando Comeron January 15, 2021 at 5:22 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceIncidentally, you can see that we at the European Southern Observatory (ESO, of which Ireland is a member too) did something that bears some resemblance several years ago. We invited visitors to our headquarters near Munich on the open doors day in 2011 to put hexagons together to reproduce a...
  • Fernando Comeron January 15, 2021 at 5:07 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceNice article, Deirdre -and actually hexagons in space are very common, although very tiny. Carbon hexagonal cycles are at the basis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a class of molecules that compose the cold interstellar medium. So hexagons are pretty much everywhere in the Universe!
  • Bob Trembley January 14, 2021 at 2:01 am on In the Sky This Week – January 12, 2021Thanks for keeping me honest! :) I corrected it to say "Mercury appears slightly higher above the horizon each evening." When you advance days in Stellarium at dusk, you see Jupiter and Saturn get lower each day, and Mercury getting higher. Venus gets a bit lower each morning in the...
  • Joseph O'Donnell January 12, 2021 at 10:03 am on In the Sky This Week – January 12, 2021"Mercury appears slightly higher above the horizon each morning" I believe you mean Venus or am I missing something?
  • Christopher M. Graney January 4, 2021 at 10:50 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderVery interesting -- I had never read the "Gospel of James", or "Protoevangelium of James", until now. Below is its whole section about the star, for those not familiar with it. Remarkably, the same problem is found in it. It follows Matthew in talking about the magi. No one knows...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 4, 2021 at 10:43 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderI should have been more clear. When I said "This sounds just like the Great Conjunction of 2020", I meant it sounds like that *kind* of thing -- something no one who was not an astronomer would have noticed it just by chance.
  • Alfred Kracher January 2, 2021 at 10:47 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderEmbellishments of Matthew’s simple “star” into a spectacular miracle are all but irrresistible. Already in the apocryphal 2nd century Gospel of James it shines with an “incredible brilliance amidst the constellations and making them seem dim.” And over the centuries artists of all kinds have further expanded on these exaggerations,...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé January 2, 2021 at 5:30 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderI thought the biggest objection to the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction being the “Star of Bethlehem” was the 800 year cycle of its occurrence viz. the timing is off. Also, I am reminded of a comment of an amateur astronomer when he went to Chile, up in the Andes. He said there...
  • Stan Sienkiewicz December 26, 2020 at 1:07 pm on The Sun Illuminates Fort AncientYes, while not quite following the astronomy it still is fascinating to see what these early N American people did to their environment. As to why they did it and your article disagreeing with the solstice explanation reminded me of the book, Motel of the Mysteries. It is a funny...
  • Joel Hopko December 24, 2020 at 1:09 pm on Bah! Humbug. Science.And a very Merry Christmas to you Professor. May your spirit and inquiring mind continue to brighten our New Year! Joel Hopko
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé December 21, 2020 at 6:04 pm on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.Just saw this Socrates In The City from 2005 with Eric Metaxas interviewing Colin Nicholl. His book and thesis is that the Star of Bethlehem was one big comet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mT-8O8S_Fw&t=1s
  • Bob Prokop December 21, 2020 at 12:08 pm on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.It's interesting that Tolkien chose March 25th as the date the One Ring was cast into the fires of Mount Doom (see the appendixes to The Return of the King for the date). It can't be a coincidence that the destruction of evil in Middle Earth coincides with the Annunciation...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé December 21, 2020 at 10:35 am on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.Here is an interesting take by Liberato De Caro, Ph.D., of the Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council in Bari, Italy, who led the research, proposes that the date of Jesus’ birth. He posits 1 BC for Jesus’ Birth. For your consideration. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/liberato-de-caro-nativity?utm_campaign=NCR%202019&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=102396683&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9xKkcgGuiy7rFyWiX8fgbgA63Wabi_9C-VcU6QmESl4QYoKUDYHXm6DrY_jGwbVptu0roDhgBz363uEIX8dd6P7oOaBQ&utm_content=102396683&utm_source=hs_email
  • Bob Prokop December 18, 2020 at 7:52 am on Pursuing the ConjunctionLooks like we're going to be clouded out here in Maryland. But I did get a good look at the two planets last night (Thursday). They were already practically on top of each other! So it has not been a total loss. By the way, your December 14th drawing is...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski December 14, 2020 at 6:42 am on Follow the Money, the Science, or the Theology? A Second Reflection on the Forthcoming Artemis Moon Mission.Thanks Ed! I so appreciate your thoughts! As a fellow "Star Trek" fan, I can appreciate you insight! :)

Top Posts

  • Specola Guestbook | September 25, 1983: Leo O'Donovan SJ
    Specola Guestbook | September 25, 1983: Leo O'Donovan SJ
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    Looking for Wormwood
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    From The Backyard: Covid-19 Vaccines, Cultural Trauma, and the Orion Nebula
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    Biblical Signs in the Sky? September 23, 2017
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    Faith, Science and Astronomy Textbooks
  • Galaxies and Nebulae - What They Really Look Like
    Galaxies and Nebulae - What They Really Look Like
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    ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 28 January, 2021
  • Hunting for Saffordites East of Mt. Graham and the Vatican Telescope. pt. 2
    Hunting for Saffordites East of Mt. Graham and the Vatican Telescope. pt. 2
  • In the Sky This Week – June 30, 2020
    In the Sky This Week – June 30, 2020
  • Religious Scientists: Sr. Miriam Michael Stimson O.P. (1913-2002); Structure of DNA
    Religious Scientists: Sr. Miriam Michael Stimson O.P. (1913-2002); Structure of DNA

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