The Star Of Bethlehem and Coma Berenices

It is written that a strange star over Bethlehem literally introduced the new-born Christ to the people of the earth, but also novae did appear from time to time, the star could well have been one. Nova is a star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then gradually returns to its original brightness over a period of weeks to years.

Magus or magi were a member of the Zoroastrian priestly caste of the Medes and Persians, after the rise of Zoroaster (Greek name), whose real name was Zarathustra (Persian) and he founded Zoroastrianism in 500 B.C. The ancient Greeks and Hebrews knew them as astrologers, interpreters of dreams, and givers of omens. These Magi or wise men (sages) from the East traveled to Bethlehem to pay homage to the infant Jesus. Whatever it may have been, as you know it resulted in the story of the Wise Men (Magi), who selected one particular star and followed it to the place where the baby Jesus lay.

Astronomers and scientists generally agree that the image or star that led the wise men (Magi) to Jesus' birthplace was probably not a supernova, or exploding star. Such stellar catastrophes are far too spectacular to escape general notice, and with the exception of Matthew, none of the Apostles or King Herod mentions such a brilliant star near the time that Jesus was born.
To return to Insert for Chapter Seven Leo Star Chart regarding Epiphany and the Magi.

If the Magi had studied the Old Testament to base their decision on the stars' arrival, then they had a long journey from the land presently in Iran or Iraq, just to view a star in Bethlehem a town in the West Bank south of Jerusalem, and give homage to the infant Jesus.

Nor does a comet seem likely to have been the Christmas star. True, Halley's comet, which was first seen in 240 B.C., and discovered to return every 76 years, reappeared in 12 B.C. This was several years before the earliest date on which Jesus could have been born. In any case, neither Halleys nor any lesser comets that appeared in succeeding years would have been regarded as the bearer of tidings of great joy; to the sky watchers of that trouble time, comets were generally omens of evil.

As mentioned the biblical text does not reference the star as being a group of planets, although there is an alternative kind of celestial display that could account for Matthew's reference to the star of Bethlehem. Studies of early calendars and historical records of events immediately preceding and following the nativity suggest to many scholars that Jesus was probably born some time during the fall of the year 7 B.C. That year the heavens offered a display that few who studied the stars would have failed to notice. Three times in 7 B.C. there was a conjunction of the same two planets.

Conjunctions, or what seem to be close approaches of planets in the sky, are common occurrences; they take place at periodic intervals as the planets orbit the sun at differing angular velocities. In May of 7 B.C., Jupiter, which astrologers of the period considered a royal star and a lucky one, first moved close in the sky to Saturn, which was believed to influence the destiny of the Jews. Even more significant, this conjunction occurred in the constellation Pisces, where celestial events traditionally foretold incidents of great importance to Israel. In September of that year, Jupiter again closed in on Saturn. Some astronomers and biblical scholars speculate that the first conjunction may have been the signal that started the Magi on their long trek to Israel; the second beacon that led them further on their journey. Their reasoning seems to accommodate the timetable of the Christmas story, for in December the two planets came together for a third time, as if on cue, to show the final way to Bethlehem.

The supposed three Wise Men (Magi) may have beheld in the eastern skies the auspicious conjunction of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, shining down on the Earth like a single star.

Also see the view by one source that on May 20th of 6 B.C., a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction which occurred in the constellation Pisces, is on a 2400 year cycle, which will occur again on May 10-11 2437 A.D. in the constellation Aquarius.

Another source believes that in the third week of June in the year 2 B.C. there was the first conjunction of Jupiter, and Venus in the constellation of Leo, near the bright star of Regulus at the front foot of the Lion, in the early evening, just after sundown. The conclusion is a brilliant star on the western horizon from the low to the horizon magnification of the conjunction of the three stars, lasting only a few hours. Although it should be obvious to the magi that this was a conjunction, whether they gauged it as a sign to trek hundreds of miles is up for option.

Then exactly one year and one month later a second conjunction of Jupiter, and Venus occurred again, except this time in the constellation of Virgo, in the southwestern sky.

In Matthew 2:12, "But when they returned to their own land, they didn't go through Jerusalem to report to Herod, for God had warned them in a dream to go home another way." In the mean time God sent Jesus and his parents to Egypt. Herod known as "the Great," 73?-4 B.C. was King of Judea (40-4) who, according to the New Testament, attempted to kill the infant Jesus by ordering the death of all children under the age of two in Bethlehem.

    South Bend, Indiana - A professor of theoretical astrophysics, Grant Mathews from the University of Notre Dame thinks he has figured out what "the star in the East" was that led wise men to travel to Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, according to the Bible.
    After two years of research have only led him to a more ordinary conclusion: The heavenly sign around the time of the birth of Jesus Christ was likely an unusual alignment of planets, the sun and the moon.
    German astronomer Johannes Kepler proposed in 1604 that the star was a conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in 7 B.C.
    The advantage Mathews has over Kepler and others who have pondered the question is that he had access to NASA's databases.    "In principle, we can see any star that was ever made from the beginning of time if we knew where to look.    So the question is, could we find a star that could be a good candidate for what showed up then?" he said.
    When did it occur?    What were its characteristics?    Did anyone else see it?
    The Gospel of Matthew indicates Jesus was born in Bethlehem when Herod was king.    Roman historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Herod died after an eclipse of the moon before the Passover.    Mathews said among the possibilites are 6 B.C., 5 B.C., 1 B.C. or 1 A.D.    The star could have appeared up to two years before the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, he said.
    Mathews believes that means the Christmas star could have appeared anywhere from 8 to 4 B.C.
    Among the characteristics written about the star was that it appeared before sunrise and that it appeared to "rest in the sky."    Mathews also found writings from Korean and Chinese astronomers of an event about 4 B.C. that described a comet with no tail that didn't move.
    Using that set of facts, Mathews found several possibilites, including supernovas, novas and planetary alignments.