Investigate: The Star of Bethlehem

The Burke Baker Planetarium offers new insight in the search for the legendary holiday star in The Star of Bethlehem. Who were the wise men? Were there just three? Did they come from Persia, Babylon or Ethiopia? Is December 25 Jesus real birthday?

Investigate the real story of the Christmas Star through recent discoveries in archaeoastronomy. Examine the night sky of 2000 years ago to look for clues to the nature of the celestial event that sparked one of historys most famous journeys. Discover what this event might have been and how it could have guided the wise men to Jerusalem and on to Bethlehem.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Star of Bethlehem
• Christmas
• HMNS
• planetarium
• holiday
• archaeoastronomy

[VideoGameCoupons]

wow, amazing stuff

[imsuprised]

I stand corrected, Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It was such a focal point of the ancient world that some cultures worshipped it.

[imsuprised]

Sirius is the brightest star in the East, three stars follow Sirius and they are still called what they were called over 2000 years ago...."The Three Kings". Like so many stories of old, this story came out out of the night sky.

[conewells]

@AtarahDerek What can I tell you? BEN-HUR spoiled me.

[AtarahDerek]

This falls into the category of supernatural; the natural, but on steroids.

[AtarahDerek]

The mistake people often make when searching for the star is they assume that the star was a one-night event. If that were the case, the Magi wouldn't have wasted a trip.

The star started by "crowning" Regulus in the constellation Leo, the lion who represents the tribe of Judah. This began on Rosh Hashanah in 3 BC. Behind Leo, up rose Virgo, clothed in the sun, with a new moon at her feet. "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?" Three clues covered right there.

[AtarahDerek]

There were no novae recorded in the years 2 or 3 BC. Nor were there any comets. Besides, if there had been, Herod would not have been surprised to hear about the star. He would have known exactly what the Magi were talking about. Finally, novae don't "stop." They're fixed stars. They shine for a while--a few months at the most--and go out. But they don't move. In order to stop, a star has to move first.

[NELSONatTRAFALGAR]

@conewells

Wasnt a supernova or should I say unlikely. Definately not a comet, most likely candidate is the conjunction of the planets. Too long to explain

[conewells]

It was a SUPERNOVA!!!! An exploding, dying star.

[RedwoodUnion]

i thought this was natural history