Distances to the Stars?
ctf • June 28, 2012
Dr. J,
How is distance to stars and other planets determined? I know it is measured in light-years, but how is that determined? If radar or sonar or anything similar were used, it would take longer than we would live to bounce back to us. Could those stars and planets actually be closer than we thought? God bless you, Dennis in OK
The stars are surely thousands of light years away, and the other galaxies even billions away. There’s no threat to Biblical authority on that, whether on age of the earth or Big Bang Theory or whatever. Only the closest stars can be accurately measured in their distances from Earth. We do this by “trigonometric parallax.” We take a look at where in the sky a star appears from the vantage point of Earth … then we wait half a year until Earth is on the other side of the Sun (a difference of nearly 200 million miles) and then we take a look at it again. The more different its location seems, compared to the relatively fixed apparent location of the more distant stars … then the closer it is to us.
However, parallax can only use a gigantic triangle to measure the distance of stars no farther than 4.5 light years away. Most are much further than that. The rest are figured using “stellar evolution” theory to predict the size and brightness of a star … then to look at how much smaller and dimmer it looks from here … to gauge how far away it must be. True, this is flawed. Seyfert-variable stars are used to gauge the distance of even stars in other galaxies. These and super-nova explosions are more reliable. But the distances really are as great as the textbooks say. The “main sequence” on the H-R Diagram, however (all put together from Big Bang Theory and Stellar Evolution Theory), is a non-proven yet taught-as-fact concept. I hope this helps. Say “hi” from all of us at Creation Truth Foundation to all of the brothers and sisters on the campus and at the church!
Sincerely yours, Dr Jackson
As we begin a new year, it brings new potential and a figurative “clean slate”. Yet at all times it is always good to remember that the Lord never changes and neither does His purposes. His desire is that all come to Him for salvation. As it is not all will seek their Creator, yet He is always at work around us guiding life through the present sinful, cursed world. His purposes are always to bring glory to himself as our Great Almighty Lord God. This divine guiding, moving, and protecting of His Spirit in the affairs of life is called Providence , our theme for the year here at Creation Truth. His Providence has always been at work since the beginning, guiding for the purpose he has designed us for. Over the course of history, we as people have missed it or chosen not to follow it. Providence of the Lord is what guided His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Even while suffering judgment for their sin in the desert, there was Providence , providing for their needs with daily manna and encouraging them on to the Promised Land. At just the right time, Providence bestowed to us a Savior, Jesus Christ. Never would we have planned or made provision for the Savior of the world in the manner He came to earth. All of His work while in the flesh was done to point us to Him and His Glory. Providence was fulfilled on the cross for all eternity with the way for all to find the Lord and salvation, to be guided out of death and overcome the trial of this life through His death, burial and resurrection. Providence , 250 years ago, guided our country’s forefathers to seek a land to freely worship their Creator and Savior, with freedom from tyranny and a pursuit of liberty for all. Even though not all were followers of the Lord, it was still more than evident that they knew His Providence had a protecting hand on us. Only by His great Providence did we become a country, for the Lord knew we would become a beacon of that freedom and, ultimately, the only true freedom that comes from Christ. Through many trials and failures in history we have sinned before our Lord, and we must continually repent and seek Him for forgiveness. His Providence has allowed our nation of people from many tongues and tribes to melt together. We have been, and I pray continue to be, the largest Christian nation in the world, proclaiming who He is before all else. This year, as we focus on His Providence , may you seek Him and be reminded of all the times He has guided, protected and blessed you for His name. David wrote in Psalm 31:3-5 of the Lord’s Providence : “For You are my high rock and my fortress; For Your name's sake You will lead me and guide me. You will bring me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Yahweh, God of truth.”(LSB) We at Creation Truth Foundation look forward to another year of opportunities to serve, champion, and exalt His Name. May you be guided, protected and blessed through Providence this year.
EACH OF THESE ARTICLES ARE EXCERPTS FROM AMERICA’S EPIC ADVENTURE TM - CTF'S NEWEST VBS CURRICULUM From Lesson 1: The Pilgrims, Walking by Faith in the Lord – Proverbs 3:5-6