The Star of Bethlehem

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  • Peerie Maa
    Old Grey Inquisitive One
    • Oct 2008
    • 62481

    The Star of Bethlehem

    Just watched the astronomy prog from the Sky at Night series focussing on the Star of Bethlehem.
    First off the scholar who recalculated the calendar got Anno Domini wrong by at least 4 years. Herod died in 4 BC, proven by records of the date of a lunar eclipse on March 13, 4 B.C. So they looked for an astronomical event that is recorded before 4 B.C.
    There were two strong candidates out of 6 possibles. These were the triple conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter (both represent kings) in the house of Pieces which is thought to represent Palestine in the astrology of the time. This occurred in 7 BC.
    The other was a comet recorded in Chinese court records as having occurred in 5 BC. The programmes astronomers plumped for the comet as it met the description of having pointed at Jerusalem where the magi went to speak to Herod, then disappeared behind the sun to appear again pointing to Bethlehem. The weakness of this argument is that only the Magi seemed to have been aware of the "star", Herod was not aware of it which argues against a comet, but the conjunction was meat and drink to astrologers and only to astrologers.
    It really is quite difficult to build an ugly wooden boat.

    The power of the web: Anyone can post anything on the web
    The weakness of the web: Anyone can post anything on the web.
  • isla
    Isla Woodcraft
    • Aug 2008
    • 12230

    #2
    Re: The Star of Bethlehem

    Thanks Nick. I can pick that up on iPlayer.
    Structures without reference to geometry tend toward the ramshackle

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    • Keith Wilson
      Trying to be reasonable
      • Oct 1999
      • 64167

      #3
      Re: The Star of Bethlehem

      One of the best science fiction stories ever, Arthur C. Clarke's The Star. You can read it here.

      It is three thousand light-years to the Vatican. Once, I believed that space could have no power over faith, just as I believed the heavens declared the glory of God’s handwork. Now I have seen that handiwork, and my faith is sorely troubled.
      "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations,
      for nature cannot be fooled."

      Richard Feynman

      Comment

      • P.I. Stazzer-Newt
        obnoxiously persistent.
        • Jan 2005
        • 26024

        #4
        Re: The Star of Bethlehem

        Does this mean the Frank! will need to add five to seven years to his age of the earth?
        I'd much rather lay in my bunk all freakin day lookin at Youtube videos .

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