Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/ESO/F.Vogt et al); Optical (ESO/VLT/MUSE), Optical (NASA/STScI)
The Selfless Gift
Somewhere in the heavenly void, long ago, a star, exhausted and overweight, exploded in an outpouring of light. If we follow that star, and the repercussions of that event, we find something of profound importance: that death sent shockwaves into space, bringing new gifts of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen (along with sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, aluminum, potassium, arsenic, bromine, selenium and, to superman's distress, krypton). These elements, created by this star, were distributed to mark its death and to enrich its poor home galaxy. Perhaps, one day, these gifts will be used to create a new star orbited by a small, rocky, fortuitously habituated planet, a shelter for new life. Of such miracles angels sing.
Published: December 24, 2018
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Page Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran
Last modified Monday, 26-Feb-2024 17:45:15 EST