The Too-Young Rings of Uranus

Revelation 6:14
“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”

Everyone has seen pictures of the planet Saturn and its beautiful rings. Well, it is now known that many of our solar system’s outer planets have rings. However, these rings are a problem for those astronomers who think that the universe is billions of years old. You see, the rings, which encircle the outer planets, would not be around today if the universe really was billions of years old.

Recent studies of the rings of Uranus highlight the problem of why these rings are still around today. One theory says the rings are kept in shape, and in orbit, by small satellites circling the planet near one set of rings. The problem is, there are nine other rings around the planet that are not associated with satellites.

Astronomers have also found 50 to 100 tenuous dust bands around the planet. These dust bands would disappear even more rapidly than rings. One astronomer has suggested that perhaps these bands are replenished with dust when tiny grains of dust collide with invisible moons around the planet.

Science usually doesn’t have room for invisible moons and unseen causes. It is unfortunate that when the only alternative is to admit that the Bible is right about the creation being relatively young, some scientists are so biased that they must invent invisible moons and mysterious causes.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach me now through Your Word, and so prepare me for Your Son’s return to Earth. In His Name. Amen.

Notes:  Eberhart, “Sustaining the Uranian rings,” December 1988. Photo: A 1998 false-color near-infrared image of Uranus showing cloud bands, rings, and moons.