Mirfak

A wonderful pleasure of Shetland is that its skies are far darker than those of Lancashire. Here in West Burrafirth, a thinly peopled scattering of dwellings along a dead-end lane, and nearly nine miles from the nearest shop, the black skies are unsullied by the orange glow of street lights and a million suburban homes. In one respect, it greatly assists the sky gazer; in another, he is spoilt for choice, the sky being unusually awash with twinkling lights

One I was able to identify was Alpha Persei or Mirfak, a bright star in the northern constellation of Perseus. It is an example of a ‘supergiant’, being 60 times the size of the Sun and radiating 5,000 times more luminosity. If staring at the Sun would cause one to go blind, what of looking at Mirfak? Its far away location preserves our sight, at 510 light years’ distance. Mirfak is duller than the God of heaven who is light itself, yet, said Paul to the Athenians, “He be not far from every one of us”. So bright, yet so close. Our sin might create distance between us and our Creator, but He also, in His mercy, shields us from the intense brightness of His glory. Somehow, in heaven, we shall see Him as He really is, and up close, too.

Image by Hans from Pixabay