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Explanation 1: 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. However, there is no Western record of such an event.
- 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.
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?
Dec 23, 2022 · 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. However, as the Magi trekked toward Jerusalem and on to Bethlehem,...
- 2 min
- Jonathan O'Callaghan
- 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 upcoming 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 25, 2008 · According to Chinese records, there were supernova – or “guest stars” as the Chinese described them – that appeared in the sky right around the time when Jesus may have been born, in 4 and 5 BCE. But the fact that there’s a possible scientific explanation to what the Magi saw, doesn’t mean to Grosse that the event loses its transcendence.
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Could a supernova explain the star of Bethlehem?
Was the star of Bethlehem a Nova?
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Was the star of Bethlehem a 'great conjunction' of bright planets?
Was the star of Bethlehem a celestial event?
Sep 7, 2024 · Natural events that might well have been considered important omens and described as stars include exploding stars (novae and supernovae), comets (Halley’s Comet was visible in 12 and 11 bc), meteors, and planetary conjunctions— i.e., apparent close approaches of two or more planets to each other.
