Star of Bethlehem: Cosmic Event, Comet, Nova or UFO?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of the Star of Bethlehem, exploring various theories regarding its identity as a cosmic event, comet, nova, or even a UFO. Participants examine historical, astronomical, and astrological perspectives, considering both scientific explanations and interpretations from ancient texts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the Star of Bethlehem was an astronomical event such as a comet, nova, or planetary conjunction, while others express skepticism about how a 'star' could guide travelers accurately.
  • One participant suggests that the wise men may not have walked much at night, which could explain why they did not notice the comet's movement from east to west.
  • Another viewpoint highlights the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Pisces as a potential candidate for the Star, with references to historical calculations by Kepler regarding the frequency of such conjunctions.
  • Some participants question the visibility of these celestial events in relation to the biblical account, noting discrepancies in star charts and the positions of planets during the proposed time frames.
  • There is a discussion about the significance of celestial events in ancient astrology, suggesting that the Magi may have interpreted these occurrences as omens rather than mere astronomical phenomena.
  • One participant mentions that the only individuals who 'saw' the star were the Magi, implying a subjective interpretation of the event.
  • Another participant discusses the allegorical nature of the biblical account, linking the star to astrological concepts and the symbolism of the sun and solstices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no clear consensus on the nature of the Star of Bethlehem. Multiple competing theories are presented, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding which explanation, if any, is most plausible.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in star chart programs for historical analysis, as well as the potential impact of the Earth's axial precession on observations of celestial events. The discussion also highlights the blending of astronomy and astrology in ancient practices, complicating the interpretation of historical accounts.

  • #31
arildno said:
Happy Yuletide and sun-return to all of you! :smile:
omg, that is so Northern-hemispherist-centric.:-p
 
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  • #32
Baywax, I'd certainly buy a loose-language/backhanded reference to an astrological event. I've suspected something like that since it's not the first time I've seen reference to an "alignment" that isn't even close. All that can really be said is that all the visible planets are in the same quarter of the sky (which is still a remarkable event).
 
  • #33
russ_watters said:
I don't know if astronmers actually use it, but it's a navigation term: Closest Point of Approach.

Anyway, weird, but I may have gotten the wrong year there (they were similarly aligned 6AD on that date). Apparently, there was a solar eclipse on April 18th, but not for viewers in Israel. Here is roughly what they would have seen (if the sun had been eclipsed - since it is zoomed-out, the moon and sun sizes are exaggerated). Location: Tel Aviv. Still pretty cool.
Wow! That is pretty awesome. Not an alignment obviously, so it's hard to imagine anyone would call it a star, but it's still pretty impressive! Also, being mid-day, I imagine nothing would have been visible for people not in the umbra. Where would you have had to have been to see the solar eclipse?
 
  • #34
russ_watters said:
Baywax, I'd certainly buy a loose-language/backhanded reference to an astrological event. I've suspected something like that since it's not the first time I've seen reference to an "alignment" that isn't even close. All that can really be said is that all the visible planets are in the same quarter of the sky (which is still a remarkable event).

Right on Russ... its a bit mystifying that the eastern account of the "magi" is the number 12... right in line with the number of zodiacs... perhaps there were no "visitors" other than a zodiacal conjunction/alignment/eclipse/comet etc... The zodiacs were, after all, considered kings and gods and animal spirits etc... and still are.. in some circles.

I'd still like to try to debunk the high and mighty claims surrounding astrology to the base level of physics, gravity and other influences on the rather weakened susceptibility of mammalian cellular physiology. (ie: full moon drives us looney, retrograde Mars causes accidents and so on) Is there already a thread on this?
 
  • #35
Gokul43201 said:
Also, being mid-day, I imagine nothing would have been visible for people not in the umbra. Where would you have had to have been to see the solar eclipse?
Thats not an easy thing to ascertain from Starry Night - I can't even be sure there was an umbra. It looked close to total from Philly though, so if there was, it was probably within a few thousand miles of there.
 
  • #36
Two words:::

Ball

Lightning
 

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