Planetary alignment

Sometimes we are blessed to see amazing and incredible things right before our eyes. Early this morning, there was a multi planetary alignment in the sky that was really visible on the horizon right before dawn. It might have been dark and freezing cold, but it was absolutely worth getting up for.

I even managed to get the kids up for a look. I honestly believe it's little things like this that they will remember. The stars were so clear that I could even catch them in a photo with my phone! Perfect for stargazing. That's Venus lower on the horizon, Jupiter with Mars by his side and Saturn was visible too, higher up and back a little, but I couldn't get it all in one shot. Absolutely stunning. 

It's things like that, that make you realise just how small we are. Our earth, huge as it is, is a teeny, tiny speck in the universe, infinite beyond our comprehension. To think God knows us all and loves us all individually is incredible. It truly is an explanation of the hymn, How Great Thou Art!

the christmas star - planetary alignment

everyone that knows me knows how much i love the stars. i'm obsessed. my dream would be to live somewhere with no light pollution and no obstructions so i could watch them every night. for now, we are suburbia-ing it, but one day i'll be living the dream. 

this year we had the wonderful opportunity to witness a once in a lifetime "christmas star" created by the close alignment of jupiter and saturn. reports said that they would be so close in the night sky that they would almost appear to collide leaving us with an amazing phenomenon to view for about an hour.

well. i was a little underwhelmed. they were close sure, but not close enough to create the "mega star" they had promised and i was so disappointed. seeing them so close was wonderful and you bet we went out somewhere clear to have a look, but it wasn't nearly as amazing as i had hoped for. i snapped this pic over the park the night before they were at their closest point - and to be honest that was about as good as it got.

the kids did like our little adventure out to a field area off of lord street in brabham, where they took turns with the binoculars having a look at the planets from where we stood. they even wore their christmas t-shirts so we could look at the christmas star.

alex wasn't as keen but was happy for dad to hold him while the others looked.

i'm grateful for these once in a lifetime opportunities even if they aren't always as exciting as we hope, as they give us a little glimpse into the heavens and the perfect plans heavenly father had as he created the heavens and earth for us. how grateful i am for this incredible world we live in!

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oh lord, my god

when i, in awesome wonder

consider all the worlds thy hands have made

i see the stars, i hear the rolling thunder

thy power throughout the universe displayed

then sings my soul, my saviour god to thee

how great thou art, how great thou art

then sings my soul, my saviour god to thee

how great thou art, how great thou art

-lds hymns #86