Moon Archives

April 23, 2026April 22, 2026

Two Views of the Universe

Prominent atheists recently became upset by Victor Glover’s words aboard Artemis 2 during its history-making trip around the Moon. Some even expressed concern about the “separation of church and space.” We have written before about Victor Glover and his status as a Bible-believing Christian. When he spoke from space, he seemed to receive approval from the other astronauts, but not from atheists on the ground. We see the contrast between the two views of the universe.

Some of Glover’s words that apparently upset atheists include, “You’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe…You are special. In all of this emptiness, this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe, you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together…” Why should those words distress anyone?

Historically, many early scientists explored creation because they believed in an orderly universe created by an intelligent God. Many astronauts have said that being in space gave them a spiritual experience as they realized that Earth reveals design and purpose. I remember watching the Apollo 8 crew read from the book of Genesis on Christmas Day in 1968 as they traveled around the Moon. Our present NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, said that his time in space convinced him that “the heavens declare the glory of God.”

Many leading science popularizers have tried to tell us that science destroys Christian belief. Richard Dawkins, Bill Nye, Michael Shermer, Lawrence Krauss, and others have written popular books arguing that science makes belief in God unnecessary and implausible. The two views of the universe can’t both be correct. The truth is that scientific discoveries continue to support belief in God and challenge the atheist concept.

Years ago, Carl Sagan said that Earth is such a tiny dot in the universe that it shows we have no privileged position in the cosmos. Victor Glover said that we are not a lonely cosmic accident, but instead, we are loved. On April 30, 2026, the movie “The Story of Everything” will open in select theaters nationwide. It will compare the two views of the universe—the atheist view and the biblical view that God designed and created all things and that He loves us. I think the movie will show that God’s story is the best and that it is actually supported by science.

References: scienceandculture.com HERE and HERE. You can see Victor Glover’s statement from space HERE. Click H ERE for more information about “The Story of Everything.”

April 10, 2026April 10, 2026

Return From the Moon

The astronauts of Artemis 2 have made their successful return from the Moon. I am sure that we will soon learn new things about the Moon and space flight. The plan is to land people on the Moon as early as two years from now.

This week, we have been looking back at information we have posted about the Moon over the last several years. Our Moon is more than 50 times more massive relative to our planet than the moons of any other planets in our solar system. Because of that, its gravitational pull affects life on Earth. Its braking power has slowed Earth’s rotation rate to give us 24-hour days. Longer days would cause day-to-night temperature extremes, and shorter days would produce extreme climate fluctuations. The Moon also stabilizes the tilt of Earth’s axis, which is essential for a stable climate.

The size and albedo (reflectivity) of the Moon provide the optimum nighttime illumination for nocturnal animals. Its size allows it to periodically eclipse the Sun, giving scientists much to learn about the Sun’s corona. The bottom line is that, according to astrophysicist Hugh Ross, for a planet to host advanced life requires a planet-moon system “with virtually identical” to ours, and it “must orbit a star virtually identical to the Sun.”

We can be thankful that God has given us the exact Moon that we have. I am sure that when astronauts return from the Moon, they will be glad that we live on planet Earth. Click HERE to learn a lesson in perspective from the Moon, written by John N. Clayton.

April 9, 2026April 9, 2026

A Solar Eclipse from Space

The Moon is just the right size and at the right distance from Earth to give us perfect solar eclipses. Tomorrow is the day when Artemis 2, with its crew of four, is scheduled to return to Earth. While on their journey around the Moon, they witnessed a solar eclipse from space. It was not the same as seeing a solar eclipse from Earth because the Moon was much closer to them than it is to us on Earth. Because of that, the Moon’s shadow was larger, but the astronauts could still see the Sun’s corona.

Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon two to four times per year, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. Total lunar eclipses are less common than partial or penumbral eclipses, but they are more interesting to watch. According to legend, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS USED A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE to get the supplies he needed from the people of Jamaica. Whether full or partial, lunar eclipses can serve to remind us of HOW ESSENTIAL OUR MOON IS.

It was a rare and interesting experience for the astronauts to travel around the Moon and observe a solar eclipse from space, but I’m sure they will be excited to return home. They will be bringing back new information about our natural satellite, and the more we learn, the more we see evidence of God’s design.

April 8, 2026April 8, 2026

The Moon’s Gravity Affects Earth

As I write this, Earth’s gravity is pulling the Artemis 2 and its four astronauts back toward home after completing a trip around the Moon. Gravity is one of the precisely tuned forces that make life possible. It also explains why the Moon doesn’t fly off into space. Earth’s gravity influences the Moon, and the Moon’s gravity affects Earth in several ways.

One way our planet is affected by the Moon’s gravity is through the tidal lock that causes the same side of the Moon to always be visible from Earth. The Artemis 2 crew had the rare privilege of seeing the far side of the Moon as they passed around it. I’ve heard some newscasters call it the “dark side of the Moon,” but the Moon has no dark side. The Sun’s illumination reaches all sides of the Moon as it orbits our planet.

The Moon’s gravity influences Earth by CAUSING THE OCEAN TIDES. Once, it even HELPED OPEN THE SUEZ CANAL. God’s finely tuned design of the Earth-Moon system allows us to exist on this planet.

August 6, 2025August 5, 2025

Shortest Day on Record?

If you’re thinking that you didn’t accomplish much yesterday, August 5, 2025, it might be because the day was shorter than usual. I don’t mean that the daylight hours were shorter. Earth’s solar day was shorter than the typical 24 hours, which equals 86,400 seconds. You probably didn’t notice because the day was only 1.25 milliseconds shorter. Blaming the shortest day won’t help—you’ll need to find some other reason for not achieving more.

Earth’s rotation speed had been gradually slowing down, but for some reason it started speeding up in recent years, making the days shorter. Official and precise records of solar day lengths since 1973 show that they were getting longer. Earth’s gravity creates friction against the Moon, causing it to drift farther away and slowing Earth’s rotation. A slower rotation results in longer days.

The Moon’s position relative to Earth’s equator creates tidal forces that very subtly influence Earth’s rotation rate. Scientists speculate that the slower rotation of Earth’s liquid core might cause the outer layers of the planet to spin faster, but that remains only speculation.

We can’t really say that yesterday was the shortest day because July 5, 2024, was 1.66 milliseconds shorter than the usual 24 hours. Don’t worry about any noticeable change in the length of days. God has given us an incredibly stable planet on which to live. Many finely tuned factors make life on Earth and our existence possible, and it could not have been accidental. This remarkable planet is further evidence that God exists.

Reference: space.com

January 25, 2024April 12, 2024

Lunar Cycles, Lunar Influence, and Lunacy

The Latin name for the Moon is “luna.” Many English words are derived from that root, including lunacy, lunatic, and even loon, as in “crazy as a loon.” Having grown up in the north, I know that hearing the cries of loons could lead to thoughts of them being crazy. Lunar cycles occur naturally, but many people believe a “lunar influence” is connected to abnormal behavior.

People have given unique names to certain full-moon appearances, such as blue moon, sturgeon moon, harvest moon, cold moon, snow moon, pink moon, flower moon, strawberry moon, hunter moon, beaver moon, worm moon, and wolf moon. You can find those names in the Old Farmer’s Almanac, so it should not be surprising that most of them have connections to agriculture or to a time when people did not have electric lights clouding their view of the sky. I have found that seeing the full moon in remote areas hundreds of miles away from city lights is a moving experience. If you were fishing, harvesting, hunting, or plowing, you would have no problem with just the Moon for illumination.

The Moon is not just an accident, nor is its influence on life. Genesis 1:14 describes God clearing Earth’s cloud cover to let the lights of the heavens (Sun and Moon) become visible “for signs and seasons and for days and years.” Some birds use the Moon for migration journeys that coincide with specific lunar phases. Many animals respond to both circadian rhythms and a lunar clock.

So, how does the Moon affect human activity? Studies show that there are more animal bites from cats, rats, and horses during full moons. That is probably because more humans are doing more things outside at night during a full moon. Also, data show there are more crimes during full moons. Apparently, criminals can use the light of a full moon for their activities just as farmers can.

The Bible refers to lunar cycles for time and mentions lunar festivals (Colossians 2:16) but otherwise makes no particular connections to the Moon. All of the claims of abnormal human behavior during various lunar cycles are in the realm of what is called “folklore.”

I hope you can take some time to admire the full moon away from city lights and imagine how ancient people depended on it for nighttime light to carry on their lives. Meanwhile, don’t worry about it affecting you psychologically or causing biological changes. The animals and insects may be altered by lunar cycles, but you are not a bug or a werewolf.

August 30, 2023August 29, 2023

Once In a Blue Moon

You have probably heard the expression, “once in a blue moon.” People use that as a way of saying that something very rarely happens. For sky watchers, a blue moon has a different meaning. It refers to those times when a full moon occurs twice in the same month. That will happen tonight, Wednesday, August 30, 2023.

Although the “once in a blue moon” expression indicates something rare, astronomical blue moons are not all that rare. They occur on average four times per year, although they can happen as few as three times or as many as five times. The lunar cycle takes 29.5 days, so we usually have one full moon monthly. This year, we experienced a full moon on August 1, so we will see another one on August 31.

The “blue moon” title has nothing to do with its actual color. The Moon will appear white, yellow, or orange depending on its location and how much dust and other particles are in the air. If it is near the horizon, where its light has to travel through more of our atmospheric dust, it will appear white, yellow, or orange. High in the sky, it will look whiter unless there are perhaps pollutants, such as from wildfires.

In addition to being a blue moon, this full moon is also called a “super moon.” That is because it will be near its closest point to Earth. The Moon’s elliptical orbit averages nearly a quarter of a million miles from Earth. At the time of tonight’s full moon, it will be about 222,043 miles (357,344 km) from Earth. That means it will be the biggest and brightest full moon of 2023.

Despite people calling it a blue supermoon, it will not appear “blue,” and you may not think of it as incredibly “super.” It will be slightly bigger and brighter than other full moons this year, but you may not be extremely impressed. If you see it near the horizon, where it appears with buildings or trees, it will look more prominent compared to when you see it high in the empty sky. That is called the “moon illusion” and happens all the time, not just once in a blue moon.

So enjoy seeing tonight’s super blue moon, and thank God it’s there. Without it, we might not be here either. Our Moon is always “super,” as we have said many times. You can read more about that HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

November 7, 2022November 6, 2022

Blood Moon and Shooting Stars

On the morning of November 8, you will have a chance to see a total lunar eclipse, also known as a “blood moon.” At the same, you may also see a display of “shooting stars.”

A full moon occurs every 29.5 days as our planet comes between the Moon and the Sun. A couple of times per year, the alignment is precise enough that some part of Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon. If the outer area of the shadow crosses the Moon, we see a slight darkening of the Moon’s light. If the full shadow covers only a portion of the Moon, we see a partial eclipse looking as if someone has taken a bite out of the Moon. However, we will see the more dramatic total lunar eclipse this time.

When the eclipse reaches totality, the Moon will take on an orange or reddish glow. That is why people call it a “blood moon.” That color is because the small amount of sunlight reaching the Moon’s surface is the glow of sunrise and sunset all around the world. Our atmosphere bends and filters the light, blocking the blue light and focusing the lower-frequency reds and yellows on the Moon. We see that reflected back to us, this time for about 85 minutes.

You can enjoy a double treat if the sky is clear and the weather is not too cold. This is also the time for the annual Taurid meteor shower. The annual Taurid “shooting stars” are actually fragments of the comet Encke which burn up from the friction of Earth’s atmosphere. They are primarily tiny sand-grain-size pieces of rock that appear as streaks of light. However, some may be a little larger, looking like fireballs. The Taurids generally move more slowly and are often larger than the meteorites of other annual meteor showers. But, they may be fewer and farther between, with perhaps five to fifteen per hour visible in very dark skies.

The problem this year is that the peak of the Taurids is during the full Moon. The bright Moon always makes it difficult to see the much dimmer meteor showers. However, the 85 minutes of the total lunar eclipse creates an ideal window to look for the meteorites. So you can enjoy the “blood moon” and the “shooting stars” at the same time.

So, how and when can you see them? The total eclipse phase will begin on the morning of November 8 at 5:17 a.m. and end at 6:42 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The partial eclipse will start and end about half an hour before and after those times. The faint penumbral phase will begin and end about an hour before and after the partial eclipse times. To see the Taurids, plan on being where you can see a clear view of the whole sky during the total eclipse phase. If you miss this total lunar eclipse, the next one will not occur until March 14, 2025.

Romans 1:20 tells us that we can know there is a God by observing the things He has made. What do the lunar eclipse and the Taurid meteor shower tell us about God? They are not omens of world events. They tell us that the creation is not chaotic but predictable. We live in a solar “system” in which we can accurately predict the movement of planets and moons and calculate what is going to happen and when–even to the exact minute. God has given us an orderly universe that we can study to learn about His power and wisdom. He has also given us His written word, which we can study to learn about His love and find the instructions for how to enjoy the gifts He wants to give us.

References: TimeandDate.com on their website or YouTube channel and NASA HERE, HERE, and HERE

September 20, 2022September 15, 2022

Our Planet is Unique and Bizarre

Human technology has allowed more observations of our planet than most of us realize. NASA currently operates around 30 Earth-observing missions accumulating massive amounts of data. We know about changes in sea level for the Earth’s oceans within a fraction of an inch. Hourly, we can know the areas of our planet covered with snow. We measure the amount of tree cover on Earth and minute-by-minute changes in the planet’s atmosphere. The result of all this detecting and measuring is that we know that our planet is unique and bizarre.

Earth is the only planet we have seen with an active water cycle that causes weather and allows the recycling of water resources. It is also the only known planet with active plate tectonics, recycling minerals within Earth’s crust using earthquakes and volcanoes while releasing volatiles that create and maintain our atmosphere.

We have only recently understood the Moon’s role and how important it is for life to exist on Earth. We know that it was formed in a catastrophic impact that determined its location and size. The size and distance from Earth are precisely right to cause the strength of our tides and give our planet a stable 23.4-degree tilt. Without the Moon, our Sun would cause very weak tides causing our coastlines to be much different, while the planet’s axis of rotation would wobble, destabilizing the climate.

Our planet is unique and bizarre because it has been shaped by vegetation, responsible for the atmosphere’s oxygen content of 21%. The typical astronomical atmosphere of planets is dominated by methane and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis uses sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce the oxygen we breathe. Science is still struggling to understand the source of the massive amount of minerals we have on Earth. Meteorites have a small number of minerals, and while the Moon has a larger number, Earth’s variety of minerals is astounding.

Discover magazine featured an article discussing NASA’s studies of planet Earth. It stated that Earth observations have taught scientists one sure thing: “Our planet is unique and bizarre, with unusual properties that don’t match those of any other world we’ve seen, either in our own solar system or beyond it.”

For those of us who understand the science involved and believe in God as the creator, this is no surprise. Proverbs 8 finds “Wisdom” saying, “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way …” We see that beautifully demonstrated as we look at our planet and marvel at the intelligence of the Designer who produced it.

Reference: “Earth is a Planet Too!” by Alison Klesman in the September/October 2022 issue of Discover magazine.

June 7, 2022June 6, 2022

Planet-Moon Size Ratio

What is the optimum size for a planet to form a just-right moon? According to a new study, the short answer to that question is, “Just about the size of planet Earth.” Is that another coincidence or a matter of design? First, let’s consider the planet-moon size ratio.

The radius of the Moon is a little more than one-fourth of Earth’s radius. That four-to-one ratio is unlike any other planet-moon size ratio in our solar system. The solar system’s largest moon is Ganymede which orbits Jupiter. It is one-third larger than our Moon, but Jupiter is more than 11 times the diameter of Earth. The essential factor is that our Moon is larger in relation to the size of the planet it orbits than any other moon in the solar system.

Scientists believe that our Moon was formed when a planet the size of Mars collided with the early Earth. The heat caused by the collision vaporized the material, which eventually congealed to form the Moon and planet Earth. (See Genesis 1:1-2.) The angle of that collision was precisely fine-tuned to result in a planet and moon with the exact size ratio for the Moon to control Earth’s tilt, rotation speed, and ocean tides, as well as perfectly covering the Sun during a total solar eclipse.

To suggest that the creation of a planet perfect for advanced life could have been an accident requires that you have a lot of faith in chance. But a new study by researchers from the University of Rochester in New York adds even more evidence for design. They found that a planet more than 1.3 to 1.6 times Earth’s size could not form a moon that would have the “life-enabling effects” that our Moon has.

Computer modeling shows that if larger planets collided, the energy of the impact would vaporize the material, but a stabilizing moon could not form. The vaporized material would cause drag on the planet, slowing it down so much that gravity would cause any material that congealed to crash into the planet. Not only is the planet-moon size ratio essential, but so also is the size of the colliding bodies.

Numerous factors beyond the planet-moon size ratio must be just right for a functional, life-supporting planet to form. Our planet meets every one of those requirements, and so far, astronomers have not found any other planet that does. The Bible does not tell us whether God chose to create life on another suitable planet anywhere in the universe. However, scientists will never stop looking for it. In the meantime, they keep finding factors that show evidence of intelligent design everywhere in the universe.

References: Space.com and Nature Communications