Was the star of Bethlehem the North Star?

So the Star of Bethlehem wasn’t the North Star, which is a bright star that’s commonly seen during the Christmas season. The North Star, called Polaris, shines over the North Pole and isn’t related to the star that shone over Bethlehem on the first Christmas.

What was the original Christmas star?

Explanation 1: the Christmas star was a nova or supernova explosion. The idea that the Magi saw a nova or supernova explosion was hinted at by 17th century astronomer, Johannes Kepler, and has had many supporters since. However, there is no Western record of such an event.

What date did the Star of Bethlehem appear?

Thus the latest date for the Magi to have seen the `star’ at Bethlehem was April 6 plus 70 days, i.e. June I 5, and the latest date for the birth of Jesus is this date minus 6 weeks, i.e. May 4.

How long was the Star of Bethlehem visible?

800
Roughly every 800 years. According to several astronomers, this type of planetary alignment will not be seen again until the year 2080 and then again in 2400.

What time will the Star of Bethlehem be visible?

Where will the Star of Bethlehem appear? The best time to see this phenomenon will be after sunset (approximately 18:00 to 19:00 CET) on December 21. It can be seen anywhere in the world, although it will be easier to see in areas near the equator.

How long will Star of Bethlehem be visible?

800 years

What time can you see the Christmas star tonight?

About an hour after sunset — which occurs at 4:48 p.m. in the Los Angeles area and at 4:54 p.m. in the San Francisco area — start scanning the southwest sky. Jupiter will look like a bright star and will be easy to spot, while Saturn will be slightly fainter and will appear just above and to the left of Jupiter.

Was the star of Bethlehem a planet?

Planets are sometimes called “wandering stars.” The main reason for believing that the “Star of Bethlehem” was a planet (and most probably Jupiter) is that planets can exhibit strange behavior in the heavens as viewed from earth.

Could the star of Bethlehem have been caused by a conjunction?

Could the Star of Bethlehem have been caused by a “great conjunction” of the bright planets Venus and Jupiter? On June 17, 2 B.C., the planets had come so close they would have almost appeared as one object, similar to the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 2020.

What is the story of the star of Bethlehem in Matthew?

The Star of Bethlehem The story of the Star of Bethlehem appears only in the Book of Matthew. The gospel tells us that a bright star appeared in the eastern sky when Jesus was born, famously seen by a group of wise men. These biblical “Magi,” sometimes called kings, now adorn nativity scenes around the world.

Where did the Magi see the star of Bethlehem?

There are two verses in the Gospel of Matthew which mention the Star of Bethlehem that the Magi observed and followed: “. . . Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east [or: when it rose] and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1b-2 NIV)