The first four planets in our solar system are called the Terrestrial Planets, because they are made of the same substance as Earth, ROCKS! The other planets are mostly made of gases.

It was a beautiful morning about an hour before sunrise. I looked at the Eastern sky and there was beautiful Venus.

The planet looked like a little piece of glass reflecting the sun. I really wanted to go there that morning, but we human beings will never make the trip. It just too hot, hundreds of degrees. The entire planet is covered with lava from underground volcanic activity.

I knew that Mercury was out there somewhere, the closest planet to the sun, but I didn’t know where to look that particular morning. Mercury is a little bigger than earth’s moon. It should be a dead planet, but scientist have found some activity on its surface. It’s also extremely hot.

Next is our home, Earth. We have a magnetic field and thank God for that, because it’s like a shield and protects us from radiation waves coming from Brother Sun. The waves bounce off our magnetic field and go out into space.

Of the first four planets, we are the only one with a moon. Plus we are in a perfect orbit around the sun. We have four seasons and all the oceans we will every need. God picked the right place for Adam and Eve and the human race to begin their journey.

I haven’t forgotten Mars, the fourth planet from the sun. It’s like a desert covered with rocks. If there is any life on Mars, it’s underground. The sun’s radiation waves destroyed its atmosphere a long time ago.

See how much God loves us. Life here on earth didn’t begin by chance. Someone created the best place for fragile humans. The other planets in our Solar System are meant for us to explore and enjoy.

However, stay away from Mercury and Venus, and be careful when you visit Mars.

(Backyard Galaxy is a weekly series featuring reflections from Fr. Michael Suchnicki dealing with God, thoughts from the friary backyard and on our Milky Way Galaxy.)