Ed Asner
Horace McNickle
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The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, [1] appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where "wise men from the East" ( Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask him: Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
- the Christmas star was a nova or supernova explosion. The idea that the Magi saw a nova or supernova explosion was hinted at by 17th century astronomer, Johannes Kepler, and has had many supporters since.
- the Christmas star was a comet. This explanation has its origins even further back in time, dating to early Christian theologian Origen in AD 248.
- the Christmas star was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Kepler is also associated with the idea that it was the close conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn that created the 'star'.
- the Christmas star was a stationary point of Jupiter. Jupiter, in its apparent path across the sky, is generally seen to move from east to west across the starry background.
- The Star of Bethlehem. The story of the Star of Bethlehem appears only in the Book of Matthew. The gospel tells us that a bright star appeared in the eastern sky when Jesus was born, famously seen by a group of wise men.
- Evidence for the Star of Bethlehem. For centuries, astronomers have looked to the historical record in search of evidence for what could explain this Star of Bethlehem.
- A Christmas Comet? In the past, some interested astronomers have also suggested the Star of Bethlehem was a comet passing near Earth. These icy bodies from the distant solar system often shine quite brightly when they venture into the inner solar system and are heated by the Sun.
- Ancient great conjunction. What about a mash-up of planets like the Great Conjunction of 2020? Could that explain the Star of Bethlehem? When you rewind the motion of the planets — something that’s easy to do with observing software these days — you can see that several interesting conjunctions played out in the years around the life of Jesus.
Dec 24, 2015 · Although the Star of Bethlehem appears just once in the Bible, in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, it has become one of the holiday’s most important and enduring symbols.
Dec 15, 2020 · What has become known popularly as the “Christmas Star” is an especially vibrant planetary conjunction easily visible in the evening sky over the next two weeks as the bright planets Jupiter and Saturn come together, culminating on the night of Dec. 21.
Dec 23, 2022 · Unless someone finds some major and indisputable archaeological discovery to settle the question once and for all, the mystery of what the Christmas Star was will remain in the realm of faith.
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Dec 20, 2021 · The gospel of Matthew states a bright star sparkled in the eastern sky when Jesus was born, famously seen by a group of wise men. These biblical "Magi," sometimes called kings, are now a key ...
