Out of this world

I just saw Saturn. And I'm not talking about a car. THE Saturn. As in the planet. I guess one of the perks of our new home is being invited to peer into the telescopes at the observatory when they are being used by the Astronomical Society that uses part of the grounds here in the park. I was out doing my nightly rounds (Brian and I take turns going out after dark to lock things up an hour after sunset every night.) when I saw the now familiar red glow coming from the observatory. I turned off my headlights, wanting to make a good first impression, and approached the funny looking building to speak to it's inhabitants - whoever they might be. The two gentlemen couldn't have been nicer despite being in the park well after closing time. I couldn't blame them for wanting to be out on such a beautiful night. They asked if I'd like to see Saturn and not wanting to be rude I allowed myself to be wowed by the equipment they maneuvered by the light of the moon. One man, I think he's a priest, used a couple different eye pieces to bring into focus one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my entire life. There was the most recognizable planet clear as day night in black and white in the viewfinder. The other man, showed me two different galaxies with a few simple keystrokes. I couldn't wrap my brain around the numbers they were telling me. Something about light years, 56 million miles away, there being 6 trillion miles in a light year... This stuff was way over my head - literally, and all I could do was keep repeating the numbers over and over in hopes that I'd be able to remember them when I came home to tell Brian. Of course I couldn't remember a thing except the image of the rings around the planet. THAT I will never forget. What an imagination God has!