Monday, December 21, 2020

The Great Conjunction: Signs in the Heavens on the Winter Solstice 2020

Here are a few photos taken this evening with my family on Antelope Island, on the certified International Dark Sky parks.  One of the best place to observe the Lights in the Firmament. The sun, moon and stars(and planets) were meant to be first for signs, then for seasons, and then for days/years. We read in Genesis 1:14

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days, and years"


The Great Conjunction occured tonight on the Winter Solstice. This alignment falls almost directly between the two Total Solar Eclipses that will crisscross over America. These signs in the heavens form an interesting chiasm. 

August 21, 2017 Total solar eclipse.

          approximately 3 ½ years (1218 days)

               December 21, 2020 Great Conjunction

          approximately 3 ½ years (1204 days)

April 8, 2024 Total solar eclipse.







We have examples in the Book of Mormon that many of the people began to disbelieve in the signs in the heavens. Maybe because they didn't know the meaning. They became less and less astonished.  We read in 3 Nephi 2:1-2

“and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from Heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen,”
Christ prophesied in Luke 21:25 that in the last days there shall be signs in the heavens. 

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;"

A sign in the heaven is what is visible to our eyes without a telescope while standing on the earth and gazing into the heavens. It is meant to be seen by us. The Total Solar Eclipses, Blood Moons, Great Conjunctions that that haven't been seen for hundreds and hundreds of years. So is there any special meaning to all of these unusual signs in the heavens?  Is God trying to tell us something? Are we hearing Him? 




A few more photos from Antelope Island tonight. It was a beautiful, peaceful night to not only observe the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn but also the Winter Solstice. 

 "and let them be for signs and for seasons"





Interesting as we were driving out there was an "alignment" of birds flying across the sunset
 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

“regarded in many traditions as the darkest and longest night of the year.”

It IS the darkest and longest night of the year...

Janeen said...

We always love your pictures and insights.
Thanks

Mark said...

I was something to behold - amazing quite frankly. Something that hasn't been seen in over 800 years. Our family was out on the island too.

It's quite amazing the hundreds of cars that were out on the island tonight. We live only a few miles from the island and usually have the island to ourselves as we go out often. But last night it took us over an hour just to get onto the island due to the long line of traffic waiting to get on the island. Many people felt the importance of what we were all witnessing.

The fact that it's at the exact mid-point of the two total Solar Eclipses is also an amazing sign.

Praise God for the lights in the firmament that He has set to communicate to us.

Harry said...

I think you mean 3 Nephi 2:1

Thank you for the post.
Unfortunately I was unable to see the conjunction.

Harry

Unknown said...

I wonder how many people looked at the star of Bethlehem and thought how interesting and even unique but saw nothing more. The religious leaders of the time ascribed no meaning until the wise men, years later, brought it to their attention.
I have my own answer to the significance of the phenomenon last evening and you drew my attention to the significance of the accompanying moon phase. Thank you