Astronomical Affairs

The skies are full of wonder! Last week, the Northern Lights were visible in many parts of the U.S. And a few weeks before that, the Earth gained a temporary “mini moon” – an asteroid that has been pulled into Earth’s orbit and will remain there until the end of November. This week, rediscover the wonders above us!

While the mini moon, according to scientists, will not be visible with home telescopes, it’s worth a try if you have one, if for no other reason than to start the conversation with your family about our special visitor. You can also read more about the astronomical event in this BBC article.

Even if you can’t catch a glimpse on your own, you may also want to do some internet investigation and see if you can find some pictures taken with professional telescopes. It may take some digging to find images you can confirm are actual photographs rather than computer-generated ones, but while you’re looking, check out this amazing NASA-hosted resource: Astronomy Picture of the Day. A new photo – along with a description of what you’re seeing that is written by a professional astronomer – is posted every day, and you can also click through an archive that goes back to 2015! Check it out with your family, talk about what you see, and let your curiosity lead the way.

Awesome astronomical events like these can also be used to trace a line back to the Christmas story, where the Wise Men are so accustomed to tracking the movement of the stars that they notice when something extraordinary is crossing the sky. When we don’t look, we miss things. But when we rediscover our awe of the heavens, we are primed to notice the extraordinary, and to live in appreciation of God’s wonders. So look up, and tell us what you see! Share your discoveries with us on Facebook or Instagram.