Astronomy Picture of the Day -- M45: The Pleiades Star Cluster

NASA ^ | June 17, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Have you ever seen the Pleiades star cluster? Even if you have, you probably have never seen it as dusty as this. Perhaps the most famous star cluster on the sky, the bright stars of the Pleiades can be seen without binoculars from even the depths of a light-polluted city. With a long exposure from a dark location, though, the dust cloud surrounding the Pleiades star cluster becomes very evident. The featured exposure took over 12 hours and covers a sky area several times the size of the full moon. Also known as the Seven Sisters and M45, the Pleiades lies about 400 light years away toward the constellation of the Bull (Taurus). A common legend with a modern twist is that one of the brighter stars faded since the cluster was named, leaving only six stars visible to the unaided eye. The actual number of Pleiades stars visible, however, may be more or less than seven, depending on the darkness of the surrounding sky and the clarity of the observer's eyesight.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I rather doubt, to an ancient like Job, this is what it meant to him.

I completely agree. Such scientific concepts were not yet even dimly conceived. But I expect that you're well aware that many, many times God inserted multiple meanings into Scripture, and this is simply another.

[Hebrews 11:6]

They’re close enough to be considered attractive to each other, being at most not “100s of light years apart,” but no more than 200. The point is not whether they’re immediately adjacent, but that one of them isn’t massively brighter while being greatly more distant.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I am familiar with this passage. Thank you for again stating this powerful argument for the authority of the Bible.

You're quite welcome. The Bible is chock-full of self-proofs, with more becoming apparent all the time. Indeed, one of our chief pleasures in heaven, I hope and suspect, will be learning much more comprehensively how all His Word fits together. Isn't that worth looking forward to?

Additionally, one feature of the Bible which often goes unappreciated is that the creation accounts in Genesis comprise but a small part of those throughout the Bible, with the Book of Job containing a massive and important part of the whole.

[barefoot_hiker]

I have lousy vision, so it looks like a fuzzy patch to me.
Looks great in my 4” wide-field refractor though.