Seeing Time

You're welcome to take that heading in at least two ways.

Every now and then there comes to my attention something I just have to pass along.  Such is the deeper look into the universe provided by this new (to me) photo from the Hubble telescope.

My eighty-seven year old friend, Dr. Bennett, former science instructor at Stanford University, has constantly reminded me recently that the latest estimate of the number of stars in the heavens stands at three sextillion.  That's a number quite unfathomable to all of us, so he helps clarify its magnitude by saying that it would be logical that a trillion or more of these may well be similar to our own sun, therefore to think that several billions of water planets like Earth might exist would be reasonable.

You know, this is enough information for me to more deeply appreciate the cosmos that is visible and knowable, and enough for me to have a more profound reverence for what IS.  My place in all this magnificent universe is obviously infinitesimal, but that fact doesn't drive me to fear and to a need for some mysterious super being to watch over me.

Perhaps there are superior intelligences out there somewhere - that doesn't frighten me; it thrills me.  What great numbers of possible life forms there may be!  Hopefully, many are more intelligent than even the vaunted human species.  It would be awesome if we could somehow interact.  Of course, who can know?  Perhaps one of those superior life forms will one day pick out OUR water planet and come here to force me to bow down and worship.  We'll see how that goes!

UPDATE:  Dec. 23, 2012
Found this brief bit from Neil deGrasse Tyson that I feel everyone should see.  Enjoy.