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. Yet ...
Dec 23, 2022 · Explore the possible astronomical explanations for the biblical Star of Bethlehem, from planetary conjunctions to comets to supernovas. Learn why the date and nature of the star are uncertain and why it remains a matter of faith.
Apr 28, 2019 · In the Gospel of Matthew, the Bible describes a mysterious star appearing over the place where Jesus Christ came to Earth in Bethlehem on the first Christmas, and leading wise men (known as the Magi) to find Jesus so they could visit him.
What is the Significance of the Christmas Star? When we put a star on the top of our Christmas tree, it symbolizes the star of Bethlehem. The star was seen and helped guide the Three Wise Men to Jesus's birth place when he was born on Christmas. There are 3 types of stars we see during Christmastime.
