Astronomers believe that the star is a cosmic event
Although dissecting the star of Bethlehem seems like a ‘rough’ topic, the astronomical debate about this integral part of Christmas has been going on for a long time. Could a cosmic event lead the “three wise men” on a journey in search of the king?
This debate demands a very big assumption, that the story of the stars and the journey is true.
Professor David Hughes, an astronomer at the University of Sheffield, first published a collection of theories about the Bethlehem star in the 1970s.
After spending years studying astronomical explanations and discussing the biblical accounts related to the sightings of the star, he is now an expert on the subject.
But there are some historical parallels that demand much explanation.
The three kings, known as Magi, consisted of Babylonian astronomers and astrologers. They study stars and planets, interpreting the meaning behind cosmic events.
Anything out of the ordinary was taken as an omen, so the star had to be something that was rare and looked spectacular. And, says Hughes, the star should send a very clear message to Magi.
This led the astronomer to conclude that the Bethlehem star might not be a star and that it might not be a single event.
“If you read the Bible carefully,” said Hughes, “the Magi saw something while they were in their country [perhaps Babylon], so they went to Jerusalem and met King Herod.”
According to the account, the Magi told Herod the sign they had seen, and said Hughes, “when they left Jerusalem for Bethlehem, they saw something again.”
Theory 1: Planets are parallel
The tradition of using omens in the sky as harbingers of major events on earth dates back to Mesopotamia more than 3,000 years ago.
Astronomers and astrologers reported celestial omens to the king, they were anything out of the ordinary, perhaps the moon moving in front of the planets or a lunar eclipse. Their task is to translate the meaning of the phenomenon.
Some believe that the wise men of the East, or “Magi”, were astrologers from Mesopotamia, and that the star rising in the east was a horoscope predicting the birth of a king.
Hughes’ best explanation for this sequence of events is known as the triple conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn, with the two planets coming close to each other in the sky three times in the short term.
“This happens when the Sun, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn are aligned,” Hughes said.
Tim O’Brien, director of the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, said this would appear striking.
“Your attention will immediately be directed to the sky when two very bright objects come together there,” he said.
And when the planets align in their orbits, Earth will “take over,” meaning that Jupiter and Saturn will appear to change direction in the night sky.
“You can only see a triple conjunction like this every 900 years,” he said. So for the astronomers in Babylon 2,000 years ago, it was a sign of something very important.
Theory 2: Halley’s Comet
The second explanation is a very bright comet.
The most reliable record is the appearance of a comet in the constellation Capricorn in 5 BC, which was perpetuated by Chinese astronomers.
Another candidate is Halley’s comet which was seen around 12 BC.
Those who support this theory say that a comet from the 5th century BC may be visible in the sky south of Jerusalem, with the comet’s head approaching the horizon and its tail curved vertically upwards.
Another theory is that the star is the light from the birth of a new star or nova.
There are also records from astronomers in the Far East about a new star in the small northern constellation of Aquila in 4 BC.
Hughes said, “People who like this theory say that the new star is located directly above Jerusalem.”
Dr Robert Cocckroft, manager of the McCallion Planetarium at McMaster University in Ontario, said the nova was a “strong candidate” for the Bethlehem star sighting.
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