First, this conjunction happened in the early morning hours, which aligns with the Gospel's description of the Star of Bethlehem as a rising morning star. Perhaps the most promising, and the one favored by Mathews, is an alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and the sun in the constellation of Aries on April 17, 6 B.C. This conjunction fits with the story for a few reasons. Astronomer Michael Molnar suggested that a conjunction theory might be correct in his book "The Star of Bethlehem" (Rutgers University Press, 1999). "For Christmas cards, it makes a nice picture having a comet and a tail but in those days comets up in the sky were usually a harbinger of impending disaster," Grant Mathews, a professor of theoretical astrophysics and cosmology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, told All About Space in an email. The Star of Bethlehem wasn’t a comet or a supernova. Apparently, they spent part of the two years studying prophesies to discover what important event would occur near this time. We know that Halley's Comet was visible in the sky in 11 B.C. Another possibility is that the Star of Bethlehem was a comet. One is the meeting of Jupiter, Venus and the star Regulus in the constellation of Leo on June 17, 2 B.C. All About Space magazine However, multiple planets do not look like a … The fact that they needed to ask Herod for directions when they arrived suggests they were not being led to their final destination by a single bright object. Maybe it was simply a miracle.". Star of Bethlehem - There are many theories about the identity of the star that led the wise men to Jesus in Bethlehem. Such an event would surely have been seen by others at the time, too. Imprimis. It would be very tempting to suppose the Star of Bethlehem would have been a supernova. If the wise men were to follow the moment of conjunction, it's possible they would have been led in a specific direction. For instance, any celestial object bright enough to attract attention was apt to be called a star. They rise and set, and they don't sit in the sky.". A conjunction occurs when two or more celestial bodies appear to meet in the night sky from our location on Earth. But the Star of Bethlehem probably wasn't a comet. The Star of Bethlehem wasn’t a comet or a supernova We know that Halley’s Comet was visible in the sky in 11 B.C. Photo by File Article content. How could a star far out in space travel ahead of Without the aid of a telescope, the two planets would appear as a single "star," brighter than Venus and Jupiter individually. Comets can be spectacular, such as Comet NEOWISE, seen here. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.” (Matthew 2: 9-10) Others believe that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction, or gathering of planets, in the night sky. "We may never know if the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction, astrological event or a fable to advance Christianity. We can also rule out novas and supernovas. What exactly was that 'star'? Related: Best telescopes 2020: Top picks for beginners, viewing planets, astrophotography and all-arounders. Read more about astronomers' theories on the Star of Bethlehem on, Learn how ancient Babylonian astronomers tracked Jupiter, from. You will receive a verification email shortly. By Some say it was a union of Saturn and Jupiter, others say it was a comet (ball of rock and ice burning up as it entered Earth’s atmosphere), and still others say it was a literal star exploding (supernova). The North Star, called Polaris, shines over the North Pole and isn't related to the star that shone over Bethlehem on the first Christmas. "For Christmas cards, it makes a nice picture having a comet and a tail but in those days comets up in the sky were usually a harbinger of impending disaster," Grant Mathews, a professor of theoretical astrophysics and cosmology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, told All About Space in an email. Another conjunction occurred in 6 B.C., between Jupiter, Saturn and Mars in the constellation of Pisces. "Stars don't do that. In his book The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer's View, Mark R. Kidger writes that the Star of Bethlehem was "almost certainly a nova" that appeared in mid-March 5 B.C. Whether such an event really happened in history is difficult to prove, but if it did, what was the Star of Bethlehem? The wise men or Magi came from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or the Yemen (then known as Persia, Arabia and Sheba). Furthermore, had the Magi followed one, they probably would have walked in a circle. Visit our corporate site. “And look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. It’s obvious from Matthew 2 that the Star of Bethlehem is a real astronomical entity that was faithfully observed by astronomers in the Ancient Near East. Others believe that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction, or gathering of planets in the night sky. © Here is a detailed explanation. There was a problem. These theories typically attempt to give a rationalistic, naturalist explanation of the Star of Bethlehem. The story of the Star of Bethlehem has long fascinated readers, both ancient and modern. Star of Bethlehem, The Christmas Star Submitted by Eric on January 2, 2019 - 4:31pm To me this star that shown the place of Christ birth and where he was as a toddler for the Magi is one of those miracles that God caused to happen and is something I accept by faith in … Others believe that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction, or gathering of planets, in the night sky. Astrology was a big deal back then. The fact that they needed to ask Herod for directions when they arrived suggests they were not being led to their final destination by a single bright object. The Star of Bethlehem. If the "star" was the result of a conjunction (and this historical event did really happen), then there are a number of different alignments that could be the culprit. However, as the Magi trekked toward Jerusalem and on to … Brigham Young University astronomy professor Jay Moody says the ``star'' was most likely a triple conjunction of planets that few people saw and even fewer understood. Modern portrayals of the Christmas nativity scene usually show the wise men visiting Jesus on the night of His birth. All About Space magazine Knowing these qualifications, we are in a position to disqualify most astronomical phenomena as being the Star. We know that Halley’s Comet was visible in the sky in 11 B.C. We know that Halley's Comet was visible in the sky in 11 B.C. (Matthew 2: 9-10) Spring returns with a not-so-equal vernal equinox of 2021. They were indeed 'wise men'. 2020 has been a rough year but there is a year-end treat coming to the sky tonight. Some say it was a union of Saturn and Jupiter, others say it was a comet Related: Was the Star of Bethlehem a star, comet … or miracle? Without the aid of a telescope, the two planets would appear as a single "star," brighter than Venus and Jupiter individually. You will receive a verification email shortly. The Star of Bethlehem The story of the Star of Bethlehem appears only in the Book of Matthew. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected]. Photo by Nina-no, courtesy Wikimedia Commons. "If what is in the New Testament is a historical account of something, then that historical account requires an explanation," David Weintraub, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, told All About Space in an email. This leads us to one of two possibilities. For example, Jupiter's display could have been of great significance here, as astrology associated the planet Jupiter with royalty, so the moon passing it in the constellation of Aries on April 17, 6 B.C. But neither of these latter two conjunctions match the description in the New Testament as closely as the conjunction that occurred on April 17, 6 B.C. Related: Was the Star of Bethlehem a star, comet … or miracle? If the "star" was the result of a conjunction (and this historical event did really happen), then there are a number of different alignments that could be the culprit. The Star of Bethlehem remains a mystery to both astronomers and historians. Why do dogs and cats run around in random bursts of speed? The Light of the World . As the well-known story in the Gospel of Matthew goes, three Magi, or wise men, followed the Star of Bethlehem to Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. could have heralded the birth of Christ. This conjunction fits with the story for a few reasons. Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. What’s extra, within … Another conjunction occurred in 6 B.C., between Jupiter, Saturn and Mars in the constellation of Pisces. What's more, in the ancient world, comets were often regarded as bad omens. They had seen his star and had come to worship him. Brigham Young University astronomy professor Jay Moody says the ``star'' was most likely a triple conjunction of planets that few people saw and even fewer understood. As the well-known story in the Gospel of Matthew goes, three Magi, or wise men, followed the Star of Bethlehem to Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. The fact that science cannot explain it has led skeptics to mock the Scriptures on this subject. The other, more astronomical explanation is that there was indeed a bright object in the sky — a conjunction between planets and stars. There was a problem. That might be the headline if the birth of Jesus as described in Matthew 2:1-12 took place today. Although novas are reportedly quite rare, you'd still expect to find other historical accounts of a large, bright event in the sky. A comet could have travelled from east to south during the 2--4 month journey of the wise men. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 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