Suffering With Joy

Prayer from Prime II

February 23, 2010

Cometary knots in the Helix Nebula

Another prayer from the Hour of Prime prayed daily by those keeping the 1962 liturgical books…

I manipulated the Hubble image at the left by saturating the colors, rotating it, and rendering it as an oil painting with none of the detail of the original.  Then I laid down the script to make another prayer card which you may copy if you wish.  I love the colors and wish this photo would inspire a textile designer to create a woven or print fabric for a long dress!  (Sorry, guys – maybe a shirt?)

The following information from APOD tells the context of the cometary knots.  If you click on “Helix Nebula” you will see the very famous telescope photo called “The Eye of God”.

The Helix Nebula is the closest example of a planetary nebula created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star. The Helix Nebula, given a technical designation of NGC 7293, lies about 700 light-years away towards the constellation of Aquarius.

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights;

Praise Him, all you His angels, praise him, all you His hosts.

Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars. (Psalm 148: 1-3)

Tags: art, Divine Office, Liturgical calendar