The Star of Bethlehem

[Will Due]

 

We're all going to have a show tonight. A very rare close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. 

It's an astronomical fact that this conjunction also occured during the month of May, September and December in the year 7BC. The same year it's not out of the realm of possibility that Jesus of Nazareth was born.

 

 

[eight bits]

In the spirit of the season, and just for you, Will

Stars of a different sort, Ian and Laura, on what the Good Book says (as if the Good Book were a history book, which is ... debatable).

https://youtu.be/CXKcMOvXctU

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by eight bits
Doesn't want to embed ... please click on link

[Will Due]

 

An interesting vid @eight bits

 

Here's something else that's interesting:

 

Quote

"Many experts believe that the 8BC census ordered by Caesar Augustus is the one which was referred to by Luke."

http://www.observadores-cometas.com/cometas/Star/Census.html

 

Now trust me, I really don't want to get into the usual discussion about the historical Jesus thing but, the fact that there was a census in 8BC and there were conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in 7BC is interesting too. There's a one year mismatch. That's pretty close.

Would you like me to tell you what the UB says about that? Lol.

 

 

[+Liquid Gardens]

53 minutes ago, eight bits said:

In the spirit of the season, and just for you, Will

Stars of a different sort, Ian and Laura, on what the Good Book says (as if the Good Book were a history book, which is ... debatable).

https://youtu.be/CXKcMOvXctU

 

These guys are great, I just kept watching and saw a very interesting one right after with just Ian I think concerning how in Mark Jesus does not 'cleanse' the temple as it's commonly understood and makes a good case for it. 

[+Razman]

Was there any pics or vids of this , it is cloudy here.

[Will Due]

56 minutes ago, razman said:

Was there any pics or vids of this , it is cloudy here.

 

It will be the same for the next several days with Jupiter and Saturn moving slowly apart more and more each night. Not sure but pics probably don't do it justice. They were so close together I could hardly tell it was two stars. Pretty amazing to see. Got to catch it right at dusk. It's 7:25PM here now and they're below the horizon now.

 

 

[Will Due]

 

Astronomer Michael Molnar suggested that a conjunction theory might be correct in his book "The Star of Bethlehem" (Rutgers University Press, 1999). If the "star" was the result of a conjunction (and this historical event did really happen), then there are a number of different alignments that could be the culprit.

Perhaps the most promising, and the one favored by Mathews, is an alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and the sun in the constellation of Aries on April 17, 6 B.C. This conjunction fits with the story for a few reasons. First, this conjunction happened in the early morning hours, which aligns with the Gospel's description of the Star of Bethlehem as a rising morning star. The Magi also lost sight of the star, before seeing it come to rest in the place where baby Jesus lay in the stable. This could have been the result of the retrograde motion of Jupiter, which means that it appears to change direction in the night sky as Earth's orbit overtakes it. 

"Normally, planets move eastward if you're following them in the sky," Mathews said. "But when they go through retrograde motion, they turn around and go in the direction that the stars rise and set at night [westward]."

https://www.space.com/star-of-bethlehem

 

It'll be interesting to see the conjunction again over the next few nights.

Looking at it today, it isn't hard to imagine how such events would have stirred the people of ancient times to wonder what it all means.

 

 

[Davros of Skaro]

Who needs GPS when one can find a location by following a star until it stops.

[Will Due]

 

Stunning telescope image of Jupiter and Saturn's Great Conjunction will amaze you

https://flip.it/uDT5FA

 

 

[Will Due]

53 minutes ago, Davros of Skaro said:

Who needs GPS when one can find a location by following a star until it stops.

 

Davros,

That red hat's not helping you.

I know I know...

Spoiler

MAGA

 

 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Will Do

[Davros of Skaro]

16 minutes ago, Will Do said:

 

Davros,

That red hat's not helping you.

I know I know...

  Reveal hidden contents

MAGA

 

 

Make Skaro great again.

[+DieChecker]

We have clouds, but is either, or the combined, visible to the human eye?

If no one could see them, then it's not really a good candidate. 

Though in the cartoons the Wise Men do usually seem to have a telescope.

Edited December 26, 2020 by DieChecker

[Abramelin]

The Star of Bethlehem, from an astrologer's point of view:

http://www.starofbethlehem.com/

[Abramelin]

I wonder: if it's about nothing but a planetary conjunction, why don't we see guys on the backs of camels running around the planet every 22 years or so? And lots more virginal births?

Questions, questions...

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Abramelin

[Will Due]

5 minutes ago, Abramelin said:

I wonder: if it's about nothing but a planetary conjunction, why don't we see guys on the backs of camels running around the planet every 22 years or so? And lots more virginal births?

Questions, questions...

 

 

Probably because every 22 years, and no doubt every second in between, there are many more worthwhile questions to ask, than those you've mentioned. 

 

 

[Abramelin]

There's actually a scientific paper about that 'star':

paper

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Abramelin

[Abramelin]

You started it.

 

[Abramelin]

Btw., there are guys (but not on the backs of camels) who do run around, following a 'star'.

They are Tibetan astrologers. When a high ranking lama dies, they cast a horoscope, and then 'follow' that horoscope in the direction it indicates to find the reincarnation of the lama.

I guess they travel on yak backs.

[Will Due]

6 minutes ago, Abramelin said:

Btw., there are guys (but not on the backs of camels) who do run around, following a 'star'.

They are Tibetan astrologers. When a high ranking lama dies, they cast a horoscope, and then 'follow' that horoscope in the direction it indicates to find the reincarnation of the lama.

I guess they travel on yak backs.

 

Well then, maybe you just showed good reason not to swallow camels, while straining out gnats.