(amateur) astronomical observations

I've always thought space was cool. My older brother probably has something to do with it. He had a space-themed birthday one year complete with the solar system in cakes and cookies. He once gave me an assignment to draw each planet on a sheet of paper and write down facts on the side (we were both homeschooled). And he's loved Star Wars for as long as I can remember, which basically means I've loved Star Wars for as long as I can remember, and that's one of the easiest ways to fall in love with space.

I also fondly remember poring over the solar system sections in my childhood science books. The Pixar movie WALL-E captured my heart from a young age as well with its artistic visuals of nebulas and space dust, with Eve and WALL-E dancing among the stars. I've been a Pluto Planet Truther for years (still kind of am, at heart). And there's this book called Planet Narnia that also has a little to do with my love of the heavenly spheres (more on that later).

Anyway, space has caught my eye off and on over the years, but it wasn't really until this year that it really became an interest of mine. I'm writing this on July 6th, 2026, and it was about this time last month that I was suddenly seized by a longing for the stars. I was feeling kinda down at work one day, and I just had this feeling that looking at pictures of galaxies and planets taken by space telescopes would cheer me up. I'm positive it was the Lord God placing the desire on my heart because when I searched up the Hubble gallery it filled me up with so much joy and wonder. I mean, Jupiter's moons casting shadows on its surface! The swarms of galaxies seen by Hubble and James Webb!! Distant nebulas and close-ups of our Moon!!! AHHH!! Suddenly all I wanted to do was look at photos of space and learn all about it. I wanted to know what every planet was made of, how far it was to the next solar system, how many stars are in the Milky Way, and how we even figured out all this stuff at all.

I know for a fact that the Artemis II mission earlier this year partly laid the seeds for this new love. ...And, yeah, a lot of it does come from Project Hail Mary too, but who can blame me? I know I'm not the only one who fell in love with space this year.

Anyway, after I caught space fever and ordered a bunch of space books from the library (one of which I had as a kid!), I started going outside a few nights a week (when there's minimal cloud cover) after sunset to stare up into the sky and see what I could see. I don't have a telescope. I don't have star charts. I've used an app and a kids' book. And I live near a city, so light pollution is high. But I'm just getting started, and I'm already enjoying just... looking to the heavens and pondering the wonder and majesty of space. Here's what I've observed so far.

2026 observations

• 6.26

random space stuff

• My favorite planet is probably Jupiter. It's staggering huge. It's almost entirely made of gas. It's covered in bands of storms that each go opposite directions, and in the center is a storm that hasn't stopped raging for the last 200 years (as far as we can tell). The whole thing is large enough to contain 120+ Earths, courted by 60+ moons, and is spinning around our sun like a testament to eternity. Jupiter is the king of joy, its Great Red Spot both a serious wound and a flush of merry color. Why do I love Jupiter so much? Because the medieval astronomers called him Fortuna Major, an echo of the True King--Jesus Christ, wounded for our sins and bringer of our eternal joy. Jupiter gives us the idea of "joviality", which is a raucus, royal joy that casts aside all fear and sadness. If Michael Ward's Planet Narnia is correct, C.S. Lewis took this idea and ran with it, creating one of the most well-loved fantasy books of all time, in which joviality and merriment are rife, Christmas comes and thaws the winter snow, the literal phrase "by Jove!" is used enough times to feel intentional, and the King of the land sacrifices himself to save another and is then raised to life with the dawning joy of morning. Anyway, when I look up into the sky and see Jupiter, I take it as a reminder from the Lord that joy is still here as long as my Savior lives.
• On that note, being a Christian means that all Creation, space included, holds tremendous meaning for me. All of it reflects the glory of God! That feels no more apparent than the vast sprawl of the planets and stars, the size of which I cannot fathom. Genesis 1 says they were created for times and seasons and signs, and God called them good.