Summer is a special time in the heavens, because the Southern skies show themselves relatively high for those in the Northern lattitudes. Those southern skies show the central region of our own galaxy. July also marks the month when we often invite our Chinese friends from a little Chinese church in the local university town to have a July 4th picnic. We will be doing the picnic this year, too, on July 1st.
After everyone has played games and eaten, we often set up a telescope with astro-video equipment so they can see some heavenly sites that our Lord has placed and are so beautiful. The Trifid Nebula is one target we like to show. The sketch below shows the object as we sketched it in early July of 2007. The clear night permitted us to use a 12.5 inch Dobsonian, take a good look at the central region of the nebula, and sketch what we observed. Psalm 19 is surely correct in saying the glory of God is shown in the heavens. Proverbs 8, referenced on the sketch, talks about the Lord’s work in the heavens as well.
This object, with its beautiful colors and sectioned appearance, is a popular target for most amateur observers. We go back to it often, and thank God every time for its appearance and placement.
