Jupiter and Saturn got here collectively in a “Great Conjunction” in 2020 that was not like any seen in practically 800 years. The 2 planets appeared so shut collectively in Earth’s night time sky on winter solstice they appeared virtually like a single object.
That’s prompted some to dub the sight a “Christmas Star,” and others to marvel a few related sounding celestial occasion that coincided with the biblical first Christmas: the Star of Bethlehem. However did such a cosmic sight ever actually exist? And if that’s the case, what does astronomical science inform us about what may have precipitated it?
Curiously, there’s some proof {that a} pair of planetary conjunctions — not not like the Nice Conjunction — occurred across the traditionally accepted time-frame for the delivery of Christ. That might probably clarify the Star of Bethlehem. However, in fact, not everybody agrees with the concept.
The Star of Bethlehem
The story of the Star of Bethlehem seems solely within the E book of Matthew. The gospel tells us {that a} shiny star appeared within the jap sky when Jesus was born, famously seen by a gaggle of sensible males. These biblical “Magi,” generally known as kings, now adorn nativity scenes world wide.
The Bible describes how these three sensible males noticed the brand new star as an indication of the delivery of the King of the Jews, so that they set out for Jerusalem to worship him. As soon as they arrive, they inquire about child Jesus with Herod, the area’s ruler appointed by Rome. “The place is the kid who has been born king of the Jews? For we noticed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage,” Matthew tells us.
However Herod is anxious by the concept. He and his personal sensible males supposedly search to find Jesus’ birthplace. Ultimately, they name on the three sensible males to ask when the star appeared. And because of Micah’s prophesy that the messiah can be born in Bethlehem, Herod sends the trio to Bethlehem to seek for Jesus. (Supposedly, Herod additionally in the end kills the infants of Bethlehem in an try to snuff out Jesus.)
In line with Matthew, “Once they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they noticed within the east, went earlier than them, until it got here and stood over the place the younger baby was. Once they noticed the star, they rejoiced with exceeding nice pleasure.”
Proof for the Star of Bethlehem
For hundreds of years, astronomers have appeared to the historic report searching for proof for what may clarify this Star of Bethlehem. Students have been discussing potential causes since not less than the thirteenth century. Maybe it was a supernova, a comet, a solar flare or an alignment of planets. Or, alternatively, possibly it by no means occurred in any respect. The reality is, science will probably by no means know the reality.
However let’s entertain the concept that it was an actual celestial occasion. What are some science-backed explanations that might clarify the Star of Bethlehem?
Nicely, the story is comparatively obscure, but it surely does give us some clues.
Some issues are simply dominated out. For instance, the Star of Bethlehem couldn’t have been a meteor — a bit of space rock that brightly burns up in Earth’s environment — which might’ve appeared and light straight away. There’s no manner three sensible males may have tracked a meteor for weeks.
It’s additionally unlikely {that a} supernova — the explosive demise of a star, which drastically will increase its brightness for days, weeks or months — may clarify the Star of Bethlehem. Supernovae, or “visitor stars” have been constantly witnessed and recorded going again 1000’s of years. So if one had occurred, different cultures probably would have taken observe.
And even when it one way or the other escaped the written historic report, astronomers have noticed remnants of many different historic supernovae. And by estimating their peak brightness, researchers have even tied some remnants to occasions seen on Earth prior to now. But telescopes haven’t discovered any proof for a supernova remnant that sync up with the timing of the Star of Bethlehem. Actually, the one supernova that was visible from Earth across the time of Christ’s delivery really occurred within the yr 185 A.D. and was recorded by Chinese language astronomers.
A Christmas Comet?
Previously, some astronomers have additionally prompt the Star of Bethlehem was a comet passing close to Earth. These icy our bodies from the distant solar system typically shine fairly brightly after they enterprise into the inside solar system and are heated by the Solar. They’re additionally identified for generally visibly lingering within the sky for weeks or months at a time. And like supernovae, we even have historic data from different cultures relating to comets.
Certain sufficient, within the yr 5 B.C., Chinese language astronomers famous the looks of a “Broom Star” that many researchers have interpreted as a comet. Like supernovae, Chinese language students famous many historic comets, and even recorded various instances that meteor impacts killed people.
Within the Nineteen Seventies, researchers caught onto the timing coincidence of this Chinese language “Broom Star,” and a string of papers began popping up in scientific journals debating the idea, amongst different inspirations. All of the backwards and forwards culminated in a 1977 story in The New York Times written by legendary science journalist Walter Sullivan that prompt it may have been a comet, conjunction, nova or just fantasy. Clearly, no consensus opinion has emerged within the many years since, both.
So, may a comet have been the Star of Bethlehem? There’s no method to rule it out, however there’s one apparent purpose to doubt it.
Needless to say folks within the historic world usually noticed comets as symbols of pending doom — an evil omen of dangerous issues about to occur. So, if a comet immediately began shining brightly within the night time sky, it’s laborious to think about three sensible males would interpret it as an indication that their savior had lastly been born.
Historic nice conjunction
What a few mash-up of planets just like the Nice Conjunction of 2020? May that specify the Star of Bethlehem?
If you rewind the movement of the planets — one thing that’s simple to do with observing software program nowadays — you possibly can see that a number of attention-grabbing conjunctions performed out within the years across the lifetime of Jesus. (A planetary conjunction occurs when two planets make an in depth strategy to one another in Earth’s night time sky. The 2 objects aren’t really close to one another, although, they only look that manner from our vantage level.)
Within the yr 7 B.C., Jupiter and Saturn had three conjunctions in the identical constellation, Pisces. As a result of the planets transfer of their orbits at completely different speeds, and are situated at completely different distances, generally they seem to cross each other within the night time sky. They’ll additionally seem to carry nonetheless or transfer backward within the sky, which astronomers name retrograde movement. This trick is like passing a slower automotive on the freeway. As you get near the opposite automobile, it appears to carry nonetheless beside you. Then, as you draw back, it drops backward. The identical factor occurs as Earth zips across the Solar a lot quicker than the outer planets.
Nevertheless, Jupiter is nearer to the Solar than Saturn, so it additionally seems to maneuver quicker in our night time sky.
So, if Jupiter and Saturn had three shut conjunctions in a comparatively temporary time period, it’s simple to think about that historic astronomers — actually, astrologers — would have taken observe. And so they additionally probably would have ascribed some which means to the occasion.
These identical astrologers wouldn’t have needed to wait lengthy for an much more putting planetary encounter. 4 years later, in the summertime of three B.C., Jupiter and Venus met in an occasion that may have appeared very like the “Christmas Star,” additionally known as the Nice Conjunction of December 2020.
On the morning of August 12 in 3 B.C., Jupiter and Venus would’ve sat simply 1/tenth a level aside within the daybreak sky. That’s one-fifth the diameter of the Full Moon. (The December 2020 conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn had an an identical separation, albeit within the night sky.) That wasn’t the tip of the present, both. Venus and Jupiter continued their dance over many of the subsequent yr earlier than lastly showing to merge right into a single star in June.
The concept that a conjunction between shiny planets may clarify the Star of Bethlehem isn’t new. A observe within the Annals of the Abbey of Worcester from 1285 A.D. factors out an alignment of Jupiter and Saturn that occurred on the time of Jesus’ delivery. And Johannes Kepler himself touched on the concept within the seventeenth century.
Fable or actuality?
Since then, many enthusiastic astronomers — and keen amateurs — have additionally pointed to different celestial positions taking part in out across the identical time as additional proof that historic astrologers would’ve discovered which means in these occasions. Brilliant stars and planets have been shifting by vital constellations. Nonetheless others have prompt that the Star of Bethlehem may not have been one celestial occasion in any respect. As an alternative, taken collectively, the mixed impact of years of those astronomical occasions could have led the Magi to see indicators a brand new king had been born.
However may any of this stuff have actually precipitated the Star of Bethlehem?
The reality is, none of those occasions match up completely with the outline of how issues performed out within the E book of Matthew. The context can also be off. Historic folks knew their planets effectively, so it might be bizarre to name a conjunction of a number of planets a “star.”
Moreover, it’s laborious to think about how Herod may very well be shocked by three sensible males telling him a few new star; he certainly would’ve seen any such shiny or apparent object himself. In line with the Bible, astrology can also be heretical, which makes the concept of studying into the which means of the celebs a bit suspect within the first place.
Ultimately, we’ll probably by no means know what actually impressed the biblical story of the Star of Bethlehem. We are able to all determine for ourselves what it means to us. And, heresy apart, all of us hope it brings good tidings for peace, pleasure, and love. Lord is aware of we’d like them proper now.
Editor’s Be aware: This story was tailored, partially, from reporting within the January 2010 Astronomy article, “What was the Star of Bethlehem?” and was up to date in December 2023.
