Gamma Leo

I set off on my cycle home on Wednesday night leaving others to lock up. My weather app advised of freezing temperatures from 9pm and I was keen to be off the lanes before that happened. Although clear, winter skies are portents of ice, they also offer superb views of the starry host. I was struck by Juba, or Algieba, also known as Gamma Leonis which is one of the brighter stars in the constellation of Leo, appearing in the mane. It is actually a binary star which means it is two stars which appear as one, and orbit each other. The two are called γ1 Leonis and γ2 Leonis, the former being 250 times brighter than the sun and 26 times wider, the latter being 63 times brighter and ten times wider. Whereas it takes the earth about 365 days to orbit the sun, it takes these two around 500-600 of our years to complete their own cycles. With our naked eyes, however, so little of this can be seen or known. Only powerful telescopes and educated minds can discuss Gamma Leo with confidence, much less understand that it is two stars under consideration, not one.

Too often we only seek to comprehend God with our eyes and not the powerful, telescopic portal of His word. Anyone who says “I think that God is…” or “I feel that God is…” is on a hiding to nothing. “Scripture teaches… or “The Bible states…” are far worthier, more helpful and profitable ways to consider God than merely looking around and describing what we think to be obvious. Our spiritual sight is poor indeed, and our hearts blacker than outer space; God's wonderful word, in contrast, sheds light on matters near and far. 

‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ Deuteronomy 4:10a

Image by Oleg Gamulinskii from Pixabay