Star of Wonder

Science is very good at explaining things and can even solve a mystery that has no remaining witnesses. Science is able to tell us how long ago a frozen cave man lived, and even how he died. One mystery that science has been unable to explain, but has offered many possible solutions to, is the Star of Bethlehem that the Magi followed. The star is mentioned in the gospels, and many biblical events have been confirmed by archaeology. But is the star a legend, a myth, a miracle, or something perfectly logical?

There are several astronomical phenomena that could explain the star. People at the time were very astute when it came to sky watching, as the stars and moon were (and still are) great navigational aids, so anything out of the ordinary appearing in the sky would have been noticed and documented. Some examples of astronomical phenomena that could have occurred on the First Noel include a planetary conjunction, a nova, a supernova, and a comet.

A planetary conjunction is when two or more planets appear very close to each other in the night sky, and may even appear to be a single object. Just such an event- a Jupiter and Saturn conjunction- took place in the year 7 BC, just outside the accepted date of Jesus’s birth (6 BC- 4 BC). The timing is very close and the position in the sky is correct, but the planets were not close enough to appear as a single star and while the conjunction may have led the Magi in the general direction of Bethlehem from Jerusalem, but did not stand over Bethlehem as stated in the Bible. 

Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, 2015

A nova (“new star”) is star that suddenly flares up many times in magnitude. It is given this term because in most cases, it is a star that ordinarily is not visible to the naked eye. Similar to a nova is a supernova, a star which has exploded. Chinese and Korean records indicate either a nova or supernova occurred in the year 5 BC, which also fits the timeframe for the nativity. Unlike the planets, however, a nova or supernova would remain in a fixed position in the sky. 

Remnants of 1987 supernova (NASA)

A comet is best described as a dirty snowball orbiting the sun. Depending on location and trajectory, they can become visible to the naked eye as they approach the sun. The period of visibility and brightness vary from comet to comet, but as an object in orbit, it would certainly move about the sky. Chinese records indicate a comet appearing in the year 5 BC, which is within the accepted time of Jesus’s birth. The comet’s location in the sky would have it preceding the Magi first to Jerusalem, then to Bethlehem. It even appeared during spring, which is when it is believed he was born, even though we celebrate Christmas in December. That’s a different story for a different blog. 

Comet ISON (NASA)

Over 2000 years later, the great mystery of the Star of Bethlehem may finally have an answer thanks to forensic astronomy and the meticulous records of the Chinese. Was it really a comet, a completely rational cosmic occurrence, which led the Magi to Bethlehem? If so, did divine intervention place the comet where it needed to be at the right time? That question might never be answered.

This week's information comes from two sources. Speculation about conjunctions and comets comes from Colin J. Humphreys and the speculation about novae and supernovae comes from Mark Kidger.

The Worlds Around Us

This week’s Nature Minute is out of this world! Nature isn’t just limited to Earth. Head outside after sunset and check out our neighbors in the solar system. Venus is the brightest object in the night sky and you can find it in the constellation Aquarius, in the southwestern sky. If you happen to have a telescope handy, look for distant Neptune just above and to the left of Venus. Higher above Venus and more the left but still close by is Mars, which appears to be a bright red non-twinkling star. Jupiter is the brightest object (other than the moon) after midnight. Again, if your telescope is handy and you are still awake, check out Jupiter. You may be able to see some of its moons. Jupiter, the largest planet, is almost like a mini solar system within our solar system. If you are an early riser, or maybe just can’t sleep, Saturn and Mercury rise just before the sun. Mercury is hard to see because it is close to the sun and therefore always low on the horizon. In my area, trees to the west or Cascade Mountains to the east make viewing Mercury impossible. Saturn is a treat to view through the telescope. Its rings are not visible to the naked eye, but they pop when viewed through the telescope. I’ve seen them a few times before and I never get over it. It’s very surreal. It looks fake.

Lunar eclipse

Venus (bottom) and Jupiter (top) in conjunction

To check out the planets and stars, get out of town. The darker the sky, the better. Up in the mountains, in the desert, or along the beach are great places for stargazing. The full moon is your worst enemy, unless you are checking out the moon. If you want to check out Saturn or Mercury, use caution not to get your telescope caught in the rising sun, unless you happen to have a solar filter. In that case, you really don’t need to be reading this blog. You probably know more about space than I do. This week’s planetary positions are courtesy of the good folks at EarthSky.org.