Good Heavens! The Human Side of Astronomy

The Wonder and Majesty of Binary Stars!

Cultivating a deeper appreciation and understanding of what God has created is an act of worship. God has given us two books, the book of nature and the book of Scripture. They are meant to be read together. As Psalm 19 shows, David speaks of creation in the first six verses and then speaks of God's revelation in and through His word in verses 7-13. He then concludes the Psalm with a prayer "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, my Rock and  my Redeemer." 

In contemplating both the heavens and the word of God, David is inspired and exhorted to pray that God would accept him. And in Christ, God answers that prayer not just for David, but for all of those who would call upon the name of the Lord Jesus for salvation. 

So how might a knowledge of binary stars enrich and encourage us in our faith? If David's contemplation of God's creation ultimately led him to pray, so too can our meditating on what God has made lead us in a similar way. 

The way, the truth, and the life. 

So come and listen to professor David Bradstreet with us.  Be fascinated by the wonders of binary stars and learn how they point us to the glory of God and His love toward us in Jesus. 

A short video on binary stars.  

More about Dr. Bradstreet.  

A short video with Dr. Bradstreet.  

More about Dr. Bradstreet's chapter in The Story of the Cosmos.  

Dr. Bradstreet's book Starstruck.  

The Gift of Discovery - Part 2 with Astrophysicist Dr. Tim Hamilton

On part two of our discussion with Dr. Tim Hamilton, we chat about something he discovered while sifting through images taken by Hubble!  The world is still filled with God's gifts, waiting to be discovered. You don't have to be an astrophysicist to receive from God's bounty! You don't have to be a scientist to make a discovery! God freely gives us gifts because He loves us, not because we earned it or deserved it.

When David considered the heavens, it reminded him of God's care for Him. 

So we hope Tim's story of discovery will do the same. We hope it can inspire and encourage you to consider that God also longs to give you gifts, the gift of forgiveness, of love, of mercy, or whatever else you need, maybe inspiration for your job or some difficult situation for which you see no answer. Fear not! Jesus knows, He sees, and your way is not hidden from Him. 

So come and hear Tim's story! 

 

Hubble, Discovery, Science, and Faith with Dr. Tim Hamilton

Do cutting-edge astrophysics and the Christian faith go together?

Yes!  On this episode, we speak with Dr. Tim Hamilton, an astrophysicist who recently made an exciting and unexpected discovery looking through images from the Hubble Space Telescope as he was studying quasars. The object TIm discovered is tentatively called by a colleague of his "Hamilton's Object".

 

Tim is also a Christian who enjoys contemplating how God's actions in the physical world might best explained. What are miracles? How did God created the universe? Can science find out everything God did in the beginning? 

 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says of God, "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end."  

This, however, does not mean we should not keep looking to make discoveries, of course. Every new discovery about the cosmos reveals something more about the One who created it all. We read God's two books, the book of nature and the book of Scripture.  Both point us to the risen Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

We hope part one of our chat with Tim will encourage you to see that science is no threat to our faith in Christ, but it fact informs it, shapes it, and gives it life. So come along and find out more about how an astrophysicist contemplates the heavens and God's sustaining power throughout. 

For more on Tim's work, click here!  

 

Part 2 of God, Stephen Hawking, and the Multiverse

Does the Physics of the Universe do away with God?  Of course not!  On part 2 of our conversation with David Wilkinson and Dave Hutchings, we explore further the implications of the late Dr. Hawking's engagement with the idea of God and what the implications are for a universe bereft its Creator.  The late Dr. Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist whose pioneering work in black holes forever impacted the way we look at the universe. But what of the implications of his thoughts about God? Ought we to assume Hawking's brilliance in trying to understand the cosmos is transferable when he speaks of God?

The late Dr. Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist whose pioneering work in black holes forever impacted the way we look at the universe. But what of the implications of his thoughts about God? Ought we to assume Hawking's brilliance in trying to understand the cosmos is transferable when he speaks of God?  So we hope you will be encouraged by this program. There has yet to be a scientist whose theories and ideas have come anywhere close to unseating the Lord Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. The heavens are still declaring His glory! 

Here is more about Professor Wilkinson:

https://www.dur.ac.uk/theology.religion/staff/profile/?id=2006

To get the book, God, Stephen Hawking, and the Multiverse, click here:

https://www.amazon.com/God-Stephen-Hawking-Multiverse-matters-ebook/dp/B083TY4J8B

And, Let There Be Science, by David Hutchings and Tom McLeish 

https://www.amazon.com/Let-There-Be-Science-science/dp/0745968635

 

God, Stephen Hawking, and the Multiverse Part 1

Dr. Stephen Hawking was a brilliant Cambridge theoretical physicist whose pioneering work on black holes and the origin of the universe put him in the public eye and imagination. His book A Brief History of Time was a runaway bestseller, with some 10 million copies having been sold worldwide since its publication in 1988.  Despite the limitations of ALS, Dr. Hawking went on to father children, write more books, give lectures, travel, and continue to do research. Remarkably, he lived to the age of 76, much to the astonishment of the entire watching world. His life and work define a generation of our understanding of the universe. 

 

On this two-part episode, we explore the life, work, and beliefs of the late Dr. Hawking with two distinguished gentlemen from the UK, David Hutchings, a high-school physics teacher and Dr. David Wilkinson, astrophysicist and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.  Dr. Hawking believed science had replaced God.  But he did not really engage the God of the Bible.

 

To get the book by the same title, go to this link:

https://www.amazon.com/God-Stephen-Hawking-Multiverse-matters-ebook/dp/B083TY4J8B

 

The Sun and Moon Stand Still - Encouragement From Joshua 10

Critics of Scripture have dismissed it. Skeptics mock it. And even some Christians will attempt to explain the heavenly events described in Joshua 10 as "natural" phenomenon or that Joshua's words were simply poetic or an allusion to something else. 

Did the sun and moon really "stand still" in the Valley of Aijalon as described in the Bible? What really happened? How can this passage from the Old Testament be an encouragement for us today in these troubling times?  Tune in for Wayne and Dan's discussion.  We hope it will remind you of Jesus. 

 

For more on the Long Day of Joshua see this article by Wayne:

http://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2013/11/23/joshuas-long-day/

Photo courtesy photos-public-domain.com

Wayne Reads Joshua Chapter 10:1-28

Did the sun and moon really "stand still" in the Valley of Aijalon as described in the Bible? Is Jesus still governing the goings on in the heavens and earth? We live in a time where we, like Joshua, should be strong and courageous. But only the Lord Jesus can give us that necessary strength and freedom from fear. We hope our reflections on Joshua 10 will be an encouragement to everyone. In this program Wayne reads from Joshua chapter 10, verses 1-28 (NIV, 1984 Bible).  This provides the background for a podcast coming soon on the Long Day of Joshua with Wayne and Dan.  

Christ and the Created Order with Dr. Andrew B. Torrance

"In conversations about science and faith, Jesus Christ rarely comes up."

So begins the introduction to a 2018 anthology of essays titled Christ and the Created Order - Perspectives from Theology, Philosophy, and Science, edited by Andrew B. Torrance and Thomas H. McCall. 

If Jesus is to have first place in everything, that means He should have first place in discussions about science and theology. But sadly, for many reasons historically, theologically, philosophically, and scientifically, He does not. What do we do? What should we do? How should we see Jesus in relation to all that He has made?  On this episode of Good Heavens! we interview Dr. Torrance about the necessity for Christians to cultivate a truly Christ-centered view of looking at creation.

Andrew holds a doctorate from the University of Otago and "is research fellow at St. Mary's College, the School of Divinity of the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and the project leader for Scientists in Congregations Scotland (sicscotland.org)."

Andrew  is also the grand nephew of the late Scottish theologian Thomas Torrance and grandson of theologian J.B. Torrance! 

Find out more about Andrew and his work! 

Cosmologists Say the Strangest Things!

If you have ever tried understanding some of the cutting-edge theoretical models of the universe, you know what we're talking about! Yet for the most part, some scientists who study the universe, especially if they are professed skeptics or atheists, will say some pretty odd things about God, things that are far and away outside the realm of their particular cosmological ideas. 

 

On this episode, Wayne and Dan discuss some of these "strange" sayings of cosmologists and astrophysicists, including thoughts of Dr. Leonard Susskind, Sir Arthur Eddington, Dr. Carl Sagan, (indirectly the late Dr. Stephen Hawking), Dr. Sean Carroll, Dr. Lawrence Krauss, Sir Fred Hoyle, and Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, plus a few others. 

So join us for what turned out to be, we think, our longest single episode of Good Heavens! since we began way back in the fall of 2017. We hope you enjoy it!

 

See also Wayne's blog article at

http://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2020/06/06/cosmologists-say-the-strangest-things/

Picture: The Reflection Nebula DG 129. Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light with Paul Bogard

On our last episode, Dan spoke with Dr. John Barentine, the director for public policy for the International Dark Sky Association about preserving our night skies and about  constellations and their attendant lore. On this episode, Dan speaks with Paul Bogard, author of The End of Night, Searching for Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light. It is a catalogue of adventures Paul took to some of the brightest and darkest skies on the planet, from the city of Paris, to the island of Sark, where there is not a single automobile or street light. Paul also visited several national parks as well, taking readers on a journey that anyone can follow. Paul also shares with us the wisdom he gleaned about the healthful benefits of natural darkness and why everyone should be concerned about preserving and cherishing it. You can find out more about Paul's work here.  

Preserving the Night Skys: John Barentine of the International Dark Sky Association

Many of us cannot see or experience the beauty and glory of a truly dark, star-filled night sky. The ever-growing urban lights of large cities blind us to the ancient wonder of the heavens. There is a growing interest in astro-tourism, people willing to travel to dark-sky preserves  to experience and learn more about the heavens. 

 

On this episode of Good Heavens! Dan talks with the public policy director of the International Dark Sky Association, (https://www.darksky.org/)  Dr. John Barentine, about the importance of preserving truly dark-sky environments, and about the importance of community and storytelling in relation to our relationship to the heavens above us. 

There's even some bonus material at the end of the episode featuring a more in-depth look at stories about the constellations of Hercules and Draco the dragon! 

See the Saving our Stars website (https://www.savingourstars.org/).

To follow updates on the on-line Grand Canyon Star Party visit this website:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm

 

Astronomy. What's the Use?

This is part one of Dan's interview with astronomer and educator Dr. David Bradstreet, professor of astronomy at Eastern University in Pennsylvania and an expert on binary stars. David has been teaching astronomy for over four decades and is a co-contributor to our book, The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God as well as the co-author of  Star Struck: Seeing the Creator in the Wonders of Our Cosmos. He even has an asteroid named after him! 

On this episode David shares with us his pedagogical insights into the contemplative benefits of astronomy and how he sees teaching, astronomy, and life down here on planet earth all fitting together. Come and see how contemplating the cosmos transcends our modern penchant for food, clothing, and incessant busyness and can encourage and strengthen our faith in Christ. 

So take a few minutes to come and contemplate Dr. B's wisdom and experience on this episode of Good Heavens! 

Conversation with the Vatican Astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno

On this episode of Good Heavens! Dan has a fascinating sit-down chat with the chief Vatican Astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno. Brother Guy is a Jesuit Priest, astrophysicist, meteorite specialist, author and popular communicator of science. We talk about everything from poetry to the difference between a meteor and a meteorite, Galileo's trials, science and faith, why the Vatican has a community of priest/astronomers and why the heavens should matter to all of us, believer and nonbeliever alike. 

 

For more information and a wonderful resource for seeing how faith and science cohere, be sure to check out Brother Guy's writings as well as a host of other thoughtful articles and insights about faith, science, and the cosmos at the Sacred Space Astronomy blog

https://www.vofoundation.org/blog/author/br-guy/ 

Brother Guy is also a contributor to the book "The Story of the Cosmos", mentioned on the Good Heavens podcast.  https://thestoryofthecosmos.com

 

Aliens, UFO's and the Bible - Part 2 with Gary Bates

As a culture we are enamored with science fiction. And as science has increasingly become the dominant cultural authority of our time, the line between what was once relegated to the realm of pure fiction and fantasy and the realm of the physical sciences has increasingly been blurred.  

It was the imaginations of the late planetary scientist Carl Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan who wrote the book called Contact which also become a popular movie. Contact is a good example of how we are accustomed to the idea of real science being combined with creative imagination. It is indeed a compelling story. 

But when it comes to real science and the idea of aliens and UFO's what is "real" and what is purely imaginative? And what does the Bible have to say about aliens? 

This is part 2 of our discussion with ufologist Gary Bates, president and CEO of Creation Ministries, International and author of Alien Intrusion - and the Evolution Connection. Gary offers us some practical and encouraging insights into the phenomena of aliens and extraterrestrial beings. 

https://creation.com/gary-bates

Aliens, UFO's, and the Bible - Part 1 with Gary Bates

What should Christians think about alien life? Are alien abduction stories real? Is it all just science fiction and our imagination or is there something more going on? How would extraterrestrial life impact the Christian faith? Does the Bible say anything about beings from other worlds? 

On this episode we talk with veteran ufologist Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International. Gary has decades of experience in researching UFO and the alien phenomena, and he is a dedicated follower of Christ. So come along with Good Heavens! to Roswell, New Mexico and beyond as we have a fascinating discussion on a very important topic for our time. 

For more information on Gary and his work, including his book and DVD, Alien Intrusion, be sure to visit his website. 

 https://creation.com/gary-bates 

Image by PhotoVision from Pixabay.com