Trent Ruble's Blog: The Other Way It Is - Posts Tagged "galaxies"
Light Years to Next Door
I was looking up at the stars this week when I began thinking about how I will never get to visit any of them. I've always been interested in space travel and exploration, but I'm not an astronaut and can't afford a space vacation which leaves me stranded here. I often wonder about all that is out there that will never be explored. And, I wonder why God put it there. Maybe there are other inhabited worlds. Or, did God make all the heavens only so that our night sky would be beautiful? Or was it to guide people in the times before (and after) GPS? It could have been that God just wanted to display His power.
Modern telescopes have shown that there are billions, if not trillions, of galaxies; each containing billions of stars. And, we now know that many of the stars have several planets in orbit, making it likely that at least one other Earth-like planet exists somewhere in the universe. This leads many people to believe that there is not only life on another planet, but intelligent life.
The closest star to the Earth, other than the Sun, is Proxima Centauri, which is 4.23 light years away. The fastest space craft ever launched from Earth is Voyager 1, currently traveling at 39,000 MPH, and just now at the edge of the Solar System after traveling for 35 years (spacetoday.org). If it were traveling at that rate en route to Proxima Centauri, it would take 50,000 years to arrive (earthsky.org). And, of course, the life we're looking for may be much further away.
And the distance isn't the only obstacle. Other issues to be considered include man's inherent physical limitations involving lifespan, radiation exposure, and weightlessness. Space debris is another concern as a collision with even a minute particle at the speeds required would be devastating.
I think it's possible that there is another planet with intelligent life. But, if there is, what would God's plan for them be? Whatever it is, I don't think it involves us. I believe God has placed any possible aliens far enough away that we will never make contact. Instead, if we want to see an alien, we're going to have to visit a Marilyn Manson concert.
Modern telescopes have shown that there are billions, if not trillions, of galaxies; each containing billions of stars. And, we now know that many of the stars have several planets in orbit, making it likely that at least one other Earth-like planet exists somewhere in the universe. This leads many people to believe that there is not only life on another planet, but intelligent life.
The closest star to the Earth, other than the Sun, is Proxima Centauri, which is 4.23 light years away. The fastest space craft ever launched from Earth is Voyager 1, currently traveling at 39,000 MPH, and just now at the edge of the Solar System after traveling for 35 years (spacetoday.org). If it were traveling at that rate en route to Proxima Centauri, it would take 50,000 years to arrive (earthsky.org). And, of course, the life we're looking for may be much further away.
And the distance isn't the only obstacle. Other issues to be considered include man's inherent physical limitations involving lifespan, radiation exposure, and weightlessness. Space debris is another concern as a collision with even a minute particle at the speeds required would be devastating.
I think it's possible that there is another planet with intelligent life. But, if there is, what would God's plan for them be? Whatever it is, I don't think it involves us. I believe God has placed any possible aliens far enough away that we will never make contact. Instead, if we want to see an alien, we're going to have to visit a Marilyn Manson concert.
The Other Way It Is
The stories and opinions of author Trent Ruble.
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