Jan 22, 2011

Will the Earth Really Have Two Suns as Early as 2012?



There is a lot of buzz on the internet right now about the star named Betelgeuse coming to an end.  I love astronomy so naturally I am excited about the possibility of us mere earthlings having a front row seat to an exploding star.  Some reports and semi-reputable outlets such as The Huffington Post are saying that it could happen as early as 2012.  They claim that it will be like having the twin suns from Star Wars in the sky.  More reputable sources show that it will actually rival a full moon in size and brilliance for a couple of weeks (which is still awesome).


There is one problem though.  It is called distance.  Scientists who are getting a much closer view than us have noticed a sudden drop in the mass of this red supergiant.  Our view is different.  We see Betelgeuse as part of Orion with the naked eye.  It is actually around 640 light years away.  This means that if it blew up today we would not see the effects for 640 years because that is how long it would take for the light of the explosion to reach us.  Unless cryogenics improves greatly in the next few years we will be long gone before the light show hits.


An exploding star of this size can also go one of two ways.  It is possible for it to collapse upon itself as a black hole or explode into a Supernova.  Philippians 2:15 says, "so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which "you shine like stars in the universe".  


When your time on Earth is done what will your legacy be?  Are you making a difference for God or have you been wasting opportunities?  We are like stars in the way we are supposed to bring Christ's light to a dark world, but we can also leave like stars.  Some will leave nothing behind.  No spiritual legacy for others to follow or any lasting impact at all.  A black hole of sorts.  Still other's light will be seen an experienced long after their death as actions set in motion by their faith and life continue to bear fruit.  Let's call these supernova Christians.  


When it comes to light years, what will your spiritual heritage yield?  Will it be a family that follows God for generations, a convert that leads other to the same Jesus that you showed him, or an example that others look back to for faithful living? 
Don't look inwardly, finally collapsing into a selfish void of forgotten time.  Endeavor now to live for him and go out with a supernova legacy.


If you liked this post you may also enjoy:
Distractions: Discussions on Christianity
Are You Playing it Safe?
2012-The End of the World?
My Prayer for America


4 comments:

Debs said...

Really enjoyed the science in this article. Wish we could be around when it occurs...I think it would be an awesome site!
Yes, what an endevor to strive for....I too, hope to leave a legacy to others of the light I carry within me! :)

Nikki said...

thank you for this. a friend sent me the link to this blog after writing a similar post. definitely hoping to be a supernova for Christ as well. love the comparison and scientific analogy as well :)

God Bless!

Unknown said...

Thank you for the feedback Nikki, shine like a star for God and you will

Shadow said...

i enjoy this piece, great analogy.