[Originally posted 5/8/2007]
NASA recently reported that the Chandra X-ray Observatory has confirmed the largest supernova ever seen. It was first detected in the fall of 2006 and is labeled SN 2006gy. Detailed pictures can be seen at
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/main/index.html and they are amazing.
It is hard for us humans to comprehend such vast distances and enormous amounts of energy. The star that exploded appears to be about 150 times bigger than our sun. It is believed to be the largest supernova ever detected. It is about 240 million light years away. If it had happened in our Milky Way galaxy, which is possible, it might be bright enough to see in the daylight from earth.
What an amazing process God used to generate the raw material for our earth. Supernovas like this one were key to forming the higher atomic weight elements found naturally on earth. The process is still going on. God's plan is grander than anything we can comprehend but that doesn't mean we're clueless. He has given us the power to comprehend a significant part of his plan and has revealed some of it to us. Above all, through the incarnation, his Son became part of creation and became flesh like us. What a wonderful plan!