Astronomy and the Bible;

GOD'SDWELLINGPLACE,WHERE

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which,althoughindividuallyinferiorinbrightnessto
theothers, reinforceoneanotherbytheirappearance
ofcompanionship. Not far from thecenter of the
hexagonshinestheorange-coloredstarBetelgeuse,in
Orion'sshoulder;andbelow that,inthedirection of
Rigel,appearstherowofthreeequalstarsinOrion's
belt, asattractivetotheeyeassomanybrilliantdia-
monds setatregulardistancesapartuponthegolden
barofabrooch.
"Photographyhasshownthatthemiddleportionof
thisregion,includingthewholeconstellationofOrion,
isenmeshedwithmysteriousloops andlacesofnebu-
louscloud. Forthepossessorofatelescopethereis
here intellectualentertainmentformany anevening;
whilethosewholookwiththenakedeyealonefindthe
displaymagnificentbeyonddescription. Thereisnot
oneofthegreatstarsthathavejustbeennamedthat
is notincomparablymightierthan our sun. Itis an
education to gaze and meditate upon thatGolconda
oftheheavens."
Itisnotdifficulttofindstatementsfromastronomers
regarding the primacy of Orion as the one grand
spectacleoftheskies.
"ThebrilliancyofthestarsinOrion,theconspicu-
ousbelt,andthetelescopicobjects whichitcontains,
alikerender thisgroupremarkable,and placeitper-
haps atthe head of the constellations." "We have
already statedthatthegreat nebulain theconstella-
tionofOrionisoneofthemostinterestingobjectsin
theheavens. Itisalikeremarkablewhetherwelook
atitssizeoritsbrilliancy,thecarewithwhichithas