William Atkins
Wednesday, 10 December 2008 21:38
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 3
According to Australian astronomer David Reneke, the bright Christmas Star (or, the Star of Bethlehem), which has been written about as appearing over the little manger in the town of Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago, did not occur in December but in June. Maybe Bing Crosby should be singing about a "Green Christmas," not a White one?
David Reneke, who is the news editor of
Sky and Space magazine, used computer software that began with St. Matthew’s Gospel (for instance, Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:
“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.”).
He then used that reference point to pinpoint the close proximity (or, conjunction) of Venus
and Jupiter. The software, in general, is able to re-create the
position of celestial bodies in the sky on any night for the past several
thousands of years.
Reneke found that the bright star the supposedly brought the Three Wise
Men, or magi, to the manger in Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus Christ
occurred on June 17 2 B.C., rather than on December 25th somewhere
between the years 8 B.C. and A.D. 6, at least according to some
Biblical historians and scholars.
Others pinpoint the nativity between 3 B.C. and A.D. 1. (There is no
year 0 in the Gregorian calendar, but goes from 1 B.C. to A.D. 1, where
B.C. stands for Before Christ’s birth, and A.D. is short for Anno
Domini, or after the birth of Christ.)
Dave Reneke concluded that Venus and Jupiter were so close in the night
sky (a conjunction of the planets) that they appeared as a
“spectacular astronomical event.” [Telegraph.co.uk: “
'Jesus was born in June', astronomers claim”]
He stated,
“Venus and Jupiter became very close in the the year 2 B.C. and they would have appeared to be one bright beacon of light.” [United Press International: “
Astronomer says Christ was born in June”]
Page two continues with more discussions about the Christmas Star.
