| |
Pluto - No longer a planet!
(An artist's rendition of Pluto, which has not yet been
visited by a spacecraft as of 1/07.)
As you may have guessed, this small family
member is Pluto! The ninth member of our solar system since it was
discovered in 1930, Pluto was demoted to "dwarf planet" status in 2006, and was
given the asteroid # 134340. The "authority" who made and voted on this
decision was 434 members of the International Astronomers Union in Prague in
2006. Attempts have been made recently to define what is meant by the term
"planet," and Pluto did not fall within the specifications.
"Pluto is dead," said Caltech researcher Mike Brown, who spoke with
reporters via a teleconference while monitoring the vote. The decision also
means a Pluto-sized object that Brown discovered will not be called a
planet.
"Pluto is not a planet," Brown said. "There are
finally, officially, eight planets in the solar system."
The vote involved just 424 astronomers who remained for
the last day of a meeting of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in
Prague.
"I'm embarrassed for astronomy," said Alan Stern,
leader of NASA's New Horizon's mission to Pluto and a scientist at the
Southwest Research Institute. "Less than 5 percent of the world's
astronomers voted."
Pluto, when
classified as a planet, was the smallest member of the solar system. It is
2/3 the size of the earth's moon, and is smaller than any other planet by a
factor of two. It has a 248 year orbit, which crosses Neptune's orbit
eccentrically, and rotates in about 6 days. It does have a thin
atmosphere. It is 39 times as far from the sun as Earth.
Interestingly, after a flurry of
irate emails about the demoting of Pluto, officials assured the world that Pluto
would remain a planet. But it will also likely become the first in a new class
of celestial object known as a TNO, or Trans-Neptunian Object. It seems Pluto
may then have a sort of dual citizenship. (Note: The above
information about Pluto is from the
Space.com Pluto Data Sheet, and from related articles on that website.)
How is all of this related to Christianity, and where we place our faith?
From the discussion above, a controversial decision made by a small group of
astronomers shattered my faith that the solar system had 9 planets, a fact known
since childhood. In reality, the solar system never changed, just man's
opinion of it. Then, when angry responses came, the decision making group
(the "authority") waffled, and might switch back and call Pluto a planet after all.
When we place our faith on things determined by man, our faith will eventually
always be shattered.
If we place our faith on Christ, God, and the Bible as the final Authority, our
faith will not be shaken, because God does not change. Consider these
verses from the Bible:
-
Christ said,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine
and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the
rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat
against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on
the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them
into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain
came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell with a great crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his
teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their
teachers of the law. - Matthew
7:24-29
Placing our faith on things of this world
will lead to disappointment, and even tragedy. Placing our faith in Jesus
gives us a firm foundation.
-
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the
word of our God stands forever.
God's Word is eternal.
-
Psalm 119:89-91, 142
Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.
God's Word, His faithfulness, His laws, and
His righteousness are eternal, enduring, and everlasting.
-
Psalm 102:25-27
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.
The world
will perish, but God will remain the same in eternity.
-
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Christ
Himself has the same eternal nature as God.
By
placing our faith in God and Christ, we will not be subject to the day to day
"discoveries", "revisions", and "reinterpretations" that bombard us from the
world. If we are members of God's family, that will never change.
|
|
