NASA dropped a new Hubble image this week of NGC 1827, an edge-on spiral galaxy about 37 million light-years away. Its rusty-brown dust lanes cut right down the middle, and the background is sprinkled with even more distant galaxies.
The detail that got me is where it sits: the constellation Columba, the Dove. I can’t look at that and not think of the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove at Jesus’ baptism. It’s just a star chart name, but it’s a nice reminder anyway.
Hubble shot it as part of a survey of 260 satellite galaxies around 22 Milky Way-like galaxies. It has covered 111 so far and needs 149 more orbits to finish. That’s one tiny corner of space, and there are still hundreds of galaxies left to photograph.
Psalm 19:1 says it plainly: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” The more we see, the bigger He gets. Take a minute today, look at the full-size image, and just worship.
Have a blessed day!