Stellar Astronomy: Part 2 – The Composition of Stars

In part 1, we examined how to measure the distance to relatively nearby stars using parallax.  We then showed how astronomers compute the luminosity of a star by comparing its apparent brightness with its distance.  This shows that stars are comparable in brightness to the sun.  But how do we know that stars have the same composition as the sun?  For that matter, how do we know what the sun is made of? 

Stellar Astronomy: Part 1 – Distance and Brightness

You can look up just about any star on the internet and find all kinds of fascinating information based on good science: its size, composition, luminosity, distance, coordinates, and so on.  But you will also read information that is not accurate because it is based on antibiblical assumptions, such as the star’s estimated age and stage of evolution.  Therefore, it is very useful to know something about the history of stellar astronomy to see how we know what we know, and to discern what we really know from what is merely claimed.

Mature Galaxies Continue to Challenge Secular Models

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has again revealed evidence that challenges the secular origins story and confirms biblical creation.  A team of researchers has discovered evidence of a barred spiral galaxy in the distant universe.  This is further evidence that mature galaxies exist at a distance where the secular view predicted only “infant” galaxies should exist.

JuMBOs in the Orion Nebula

New images from the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed a previously unknown class of objects: Jupiter Mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs).  These are free-floating objects that orbit their common center of mass, not a star.  The existence of such objects challenges secular formation scenarios and provides new insight for creation research.

UFOs and Extra-Terrestrial Life

As an astronomer, I spend a great deal of time outside at night looking up. I have seen many wonderful things in the night sky. And I am often asked if I have ever seen a UFO. Before I answer that question, it is always helpful to define our terms. What is a UFO?