The Christmas Star?

[Gman]

With all this talk about the "Christmas Star", I thought I would share a little light on it from the Griffith Observatory.. Many think that the Christmas Star was a meteor, a comet, or a supernova.. However, if we suppose that the “star” actually referred to the planets, the situation is less problematic. Here is a "possible" solution for the Christmas Star...

"The movements and groupings of planets in the night sky were of exceeding interest to astronomers and were closely tracked around the world. Historical records and modern-day computer simulations indicate that there was a rare series of planetary groupings, also known as conjunctions, during the years 3 B.C. and 2 B.C."

"Between September of 3 B.C. and June of 2 B.C., Jupiter passed by the star Regulus in Leo, reversed itself and passed it again, then turned back and passed the star a third time. This was another remarkable event, since the magi considered Jupiter the kingly planet and regarded Regulus as the “king star.”

"The crowning touch came on June 17, when Jupiter seemed to approach so close to Venus that, without binoculars, they would have looked like a single star over Bethlehem, (hence the Christmas star)."

Here is a good presentation of it from the astronomer "John Mosley" at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. Enjoy.. And merry Christmas..

//msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Interactives/Technology_Science/Space/star.swf

[DonCameron]

Hi Gman,

Thanks for the referral to the very interesting website dealing with "The Christmas Star" by either John Mosley or Clay Frost.

As far as 'star' being able to stop over Jerusalem and then later start up again to end up over Jesus' house in Bethlehem...

Perhaps even more interesting to ancient astrologers, on Sept. 14 Jupiter came into conjuction with Regulus, moved past it, then appeared to stop and move backwards until it passed Regulus a second time on Feb. 17 of 2 B.C. and then a third time on May 8.

Such gyrations are called retrograde motion. It occurs because the Earth is moving faster than Jupiter on an inside track. The same effect can be seen when you pass a slower-moving car on the freeway. The car appears to move backwards against the background, even though you're both moving forward.

Finally, on June 17 of 2 B.C., Jupiter and Venus again came into conjunction near Regulus, so close as to appear as one shining light until they set in the west, toward Jerusalem as seen from Babylon.

Is the author saying that there were several months between the various movements of the 'star.' Although it would have taken the astrologers several months to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, is it likely that they remained in Jerusalem for months before they were led to Bethlehem by that 'star'? Or have I misunderstood what is being said?

Rather than trying to come up with a reasonable scientific explanation for the existence of the 'star' and its movements, it is much easier for me to look at it as a UFO that was under the remote control of either God or Satan.

As others on this Forum already know, I lean toward Satan as the 'star's Controller rather than God.

Don

[Gman]

Is the author saying that there were several months between the various movements of the 'star.' Although it would have taken the astrologers several months to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, is it likely that they remained in Jerusalem for months before they were led to Bethlehem by that 'star'? Or have I misunderstood what is being said?

Don,

Here is more about it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077385/

"It was the early evening of June 17, 2 B.C.E. All the cities around Babylon in Mesopotamia were aglow with talk about a spectacular astronomical event being witnessed in the western sky. What had been monitored for several weeks was the planet Venus moving eastward among the stars on what appeared to be a collision course with the planet Jupiter. Now the expected event had happened right in front of their eyes."

My belief is that God controls the stars since he made them (Genesis 1:16).
But not for the purpose of astrology.. Only merely for telling a story and for signs of the seasons.. (Genesis 1:14).