Some drove (or flew) miles and miles in order to find an exact point where total darkness would occur. They spent hundreds or thousands of dollars in order to witness with their own eyes an event that lasted mere minutes.
It is as if people find it barely believable that the universe could be so ordered that the earth, moon and sun would align as predicted to produce this wonder.
Here in Cedar Rapids the eclipse was barely noticeable. Because of the heavy overcast it was impossible to see.
Many friends and acquaintances shared their eclipse experiences on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and every other type of social media.
Dozens of people witnessed to me about the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon they claimed to have seen.
Should I believe them?
After all, I didn't see it myself. And they are not professional astronomers. They are just people with cameras and I-Pads. What makes them trustworthy - aside from their eyewitness accounts?
It reminds me of those who doubt Jesus, especially his prophesied resurrection from the dead, having been crucified for our sins.
Scripture tells us hundreds of people were eyewitnesses of his resurrection, including several whose written accounts are preserved thousands of years later.
Should one doubt the resurrection simply because it is outside the boundary of one's own experience? Should I doubt the eclipse occurred simply because it was impossible for me to view it?
As Jesus, following his resurrection, quizzed his disciple Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29
For me, the evidence is clear, both for Jesus' resurrection and for the eclipse.
And an eclipse truly is an uncommon wonder.
Earth has only one moon. Mercury and Venus, the two planets in our solar system closest to the sun have no moons, so an eclipse is impossible.
Farther away from the sun, Mars has two moons while Jupiter and Saturn each sport 53 such circling bodies. Uranus has 27 moons and Neptune 13, according to NASA. These most-distant planets also have a number of unconfirmed moons that could raise their totals.
Because of the distances and physical characteristics involved however, eclipses of the sun almost never occur on planets with many moons.
Earth is the only known place in the universe where such a perfect eclipse can occur.
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork." Psalm 19:1 KJV
That's our astronomy lesson for today.
Pastorich
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