I am going to look at the
question from both Christian and Scientific perspectives. Putting it another
way, I am going to do a collaboration between Christianity and Science. In the
entertainment world today, collaborations are done with a view to synergic
effect. In the same way I am going to combine the efforts Christianity and
Science for a more impactive effect.
The bible does talk about the
creation or the recreation of heaven and Earth. The bible talks about heaven in
plural terms. The bible speaks of heaven
in ordinal forms, which to mind means heaven is layered. Ordinal means heaven
is arranged in first, second, third etc. order. Let us open our bible to Isaiah
chapter 40, verse 22(NIV) and check a statement there: “He (God) sits enthroned
above the circle (atmospheric boundary) of the Earth, and its people are like
grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out
like a tent to live in” Here a distinction has been made between heaven and
Earth by the circle! Earth, including its atmosphere, ends at the circle, and
heaven as whole begins at the circle!
Above the circle are located:
1)God
2)Angels
3)Planets
4)Stars
Beneath the circle are located:
1)Area where birds fly(Deut.
4:17)
2)Area from where snow
forms(Isaiah 55:10)
3)Area where rain forms(Gen.
1:14)
Now let us step into the area of
Science to attempt to determine the line separating Earth from Space. In
Science there are two main spaces as hinted; Earth and Space which derive from
the Universe which is one whole space. The Earth is composed of three main
components of earth, water and air or atmosphere. Space is divided into areas.
Of the three main components of
the natural environment, it is the Earth’s atmosphere that merges with space so
it must be between the Earth’s atmosphere and space that the boundary should be
drawn. In that case my next step should be to define the layers of the
atmosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere is layered as follows:
|
NO
|
LAYER
|
Measurement
|
REMARK
|
|
01
|
Troposphere
|
This is closest to the earth.
From the ground upwards -zero to
20 km(0 -12 miles)
|
Weather forms in this sphere.
Clouds which are droplets of
water and snow crystals form in this sphere.
Almost all water vapor
and moisture is found in this
layer, hence the occurrence of weather.
|
|
02
|
Stratosphere
|
12 km to 50 km( 7miles to 31 miles)
|
The ozone layer is
located in this sphere
|
|
03
|
Mesosphere
|
50 km to 80 km( 31 miles to 50
miles)
|
It is the coldest place on
Planet Earth with an
average temperature of
about -85°C(-120°F).
It is the layer in which
meteors bun up on
entering the Earth’s
atmosphere.
|
|
04
|
Thermosphere
|
80 km to 700 km(50 miles to 440
miles)
|
Karman line is located here. The international
Space center orbits here
|
|
05
|
Exosphere
|
700 km to 10000 km( 440 miles to
6200 miles)
|
It contain most of
satellites orbiting the
Earth
|
Humans do not know for sure the
interface between Earth and Space. However a line called Karman line is
generally accepted as the line that separates Earth from Space (Earth from
Heaven). It is 100 km. (62 miles) above sea level (compare with the circle mentioned
in the biblical qoutation). The Karman line is used as the start of space in space
treaties and for records keeping in aerospace. However, you may notice that by
the above table, the Karman line falls within the thermosphere, which is not
the topmost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. Some regard part of that area as
part of space.
The Outer Space Treaty passed by
the United Nations General Assembly in 1963 defines outer space as the moon and
other celestial bodies.
NASA’s space shuttle used 122 km.
(76 miles) altitude as entry interface. At this point there is a feel of
atmospheric (Earth) pull.
In 2009, scientists at the
University of Calgary, using an instrument that measures the direction and
speed of ion attempted to determine a boundary between Earth and Space. Through
that they established a boundary at 118 km. (73 miles) above Earth. Their
reason is that that point marks the middle of a transition of the gentle winds
of the Earth’s atmosphere to the more violent flows of charged particles of
space.
Outer Space is divided into areas
as already indicated.
Geospace is the area of Outer
Space close to the atmosphere of the Earth. It includes parts of the atmosphere
and the magnetosphere. Magnetosphere is the area in Outer Space surrounding an
astronomical object in which charged particles are controlled by that objects
magnetic field. Magnetopause is the outer boundary of geospace, and it forms an
interface between the magnetosphere and solar winds.
There is the interplanetary space,
which is the space around the Sun and planets of the Solar System. The solar
wind determines the state of the interplanetary space.
Then comes the interstellar space
which is space within the galaxies.
There is also the Intergalactic
space which is space between the galaxies. A galaxy is one of the many groups
of stars that make up the universe. The galaxy of planet Earth is called the
Milky Way. The Milky Way is the home galaxy of you and me.
Now let us compare what the bible
says is the divide between Heaven and Earth, and what Science says is the
divide between Outer Space and Earth. Here heaven and outer space are
synonymous. In biblical revelation heaven or outer space contain not only
matter but spirit as well, whereas scientific knowledge acknowledges matter
only. To find a divide implies there must be a whole. Yes in this instance
there is a whole. In biblical terms it is called creation; and in scientific
terms it is called universe which is one whole space.
This whole universe or creation
is split into two main parts as indicated. I have attempted to define where one
ends and other starts. The bible in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 22 speaks of a
circle above which God is enthroned. Comparatively Science speaks of the Karman
line which is in the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA talks about the reentry interface
which tries to establish a boundary between Earth and Outer Space. There are
other scientific measurements too. Both the biblical the scientific have a
common upward thrust from the ground to get the measurements.
Conclusively, there is no doubt
that there is a boundary between heaven and Earth from the biblical point of
view, and between Outer Space and Earth from the scientific viewpoint. You as
an individual have your personal space. Families have their individual spaces.
Institutions have their individual spaces. In creation man has their space
which is Earth, including its atmosphere, and the other space is God’s. In
scientific terms Earth is still man’s space, we have been fitted to live on
Earth whether you look at it from the viewpoint of creation or evolution, the
other space is for galaxies and planets etc.
There is definitely a boundary
located in the atmosphere but we do not know for sure where it is specifically
located. We must keep hold of what we have now as spring board for superior
knowledge.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space
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