The Prophet and the Astronomer

From the apocalypse foretold in Revelations to modern science's ongoing identification of multiple catacysmic threats, including the impact of comets and asteroids on earthly life, this text explores the shared quest of prophets and astronomers to explain the strange phenomena of our skies.

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An astrophysicist guides us through the celestial apocalypse, from Revelations to the Big Crunch. From the beginning of time people have looked to the heavens to find order in the universe, to divine meaning and direction from celestial events. The same skies that used to instill fear in our ancient prophets today spawn a rich apocalyptic science for awestruck stargazers. This remarkable book explores the shared quest of prophets and astronomers to explain the strange phenomena of our skiesfrom the apocalypse foretold in Revelations to modern science's ongoing identification of multiple cataclysmic threats, including the impact of comets and asteroids on earthly life; the likelihood of future collisions; the meaning of solar eclipses and the death of stars; the implications of black holes for time travel; and the ultimate fate of the universe and of time. 30 illustrations.