Artist’s impression (unattributed)
copied from Wikipedia
Entries in the Autumn of 2013 often related, in some way to our visiting Italy and I suspect there may be more inspired by those experiences, including a very thought-provoking few days guided by Kenneth Steven, a published author and poet, who gave us some very helpful pointers on writing well. More about Kenneth at another time though you can find his website link at the end of today's post, following the poem.
At that time I was looking hugely forward to another retreat, led by Bro Guy Consolmagno SJ who was The Curator of The Vatican Meteorites (Yes! Honestly - what a wonderful title that is) and is now (Jan 2016) Director of The Vatican Observatory. I hope more verse will be inspired during the six days which start at Launde Abbey - a beautiful retreat centre in the heart of Leicestershire UK- this coming Sunday. With that in mind, it's a very good moment to return to things astronomical here on the blog and a further poem in the 'Beyond the farthest' celebrating the very odd space bodies known as Brown Dwarfs. An indication of their nature lies in the verses which follow.
Beyond The Farthest*:
Brown Dwarf
Neither perfect star nor
planet
Are brown dwarfs, so
strange:
Forming from collapsing
gas clouds
To sub-stellar range:
Masses way beyond a
planet's,
Heat like coals, not
solar flames.
Though unseen in visual
wavelengths,
Infra-red's not blind,
Found some might have
wild, wild climates,
Rain of molten iron
Hot-sand clouds that make
for snowfall
Of an unimagined kind.
As our deep space
searches broaden
Challenges abound,
Needing new
interpretations
Of such orbs, when found:
Tributes to God's wealth
of imprints
In the complex, cosmic
round.
*Beyond the Farthest (mortal Eye Can Scan) is the heading for a short series of poems of which this is the fourth. The heading takes its inspiration from the second verse of the hymn 'Angel Voices ever Ringing' Which starts 'Thou who art beyond the farthest, mortal eye can scan’ Score below
Kenneth Steven's website can be accessed here. From Kenneth's site, you can download his recent Kindle Book called 'The Fall'. It will only cost you a little over £2. It is a fascinating story about a couple of geologists who survive the fall out from a major asteroid impact and can be read in a few hours. Interesting for the science-minded and a taster,perhaps for some of his other work.
More information about Guy Consolmagno can be found on the Vatican Observatory's web-page, accessible here
More information about Guy Consolmagno can be found on the Vatican Observatory's web-page, accessible here
Launde Abbey's website can be accessed here
Other poems, meditations and songs with a SCIENCE & FAITH theme can be accessed HERE
Other poems in the short 'Beyond The Farthest' sequence are
DNA
Pulsar
Pristine Exoplanet
Other poems, meditations and songs with a SCIENCE & FAITH theme can be accessed HERE
Other poems in the short 'Beyond The Farthest' sequence are
DNA
Pulsar
Pristine Exoplanet
