So there is no Christmas star, it never was, in fact the timing does not work out. However it is fun to think that perhaps the moment that Jesus’ was born that two planets were in conjunction. BTW, that is what is going on. Jupiter and Saturn are in alignment, or what is called conjunction. You will be able to see them side by side. In fact if you follow the orbital pattern up into the sky, you will also see Mars (hint – it is the red one). What is really cool is that you can see both planets and all their moons at the same time in the same telescope eye piece! That is really awesome to see. That is what I am going to do right now, because it is 5:30pm!
Well I broke out the 10″ Dobsonian Telescope and showed the neighborhood the ‘Christmas Star.” Everyone was excited to see the moons of Jupiter and to also see the rings around Saturn. Mars was also up, and the moon. I also showed everyone the Pleiades and a few other celestial objects. Saturn and Jupiter have not been in conjunction like that for over 200 years. This is the closest they have been in quite a while. What will be really cool, is that sometime in the year 5000 or something like that, Jupiter will eclipse Saturn. That will be a sight to see!
To be exact, the reason people are calling this the Christmas Star was because the conjunction was really close together, occurs during the days preceding Christmas and occurs when the sun is down so that they are clearly visible in the night sky. Sometimes the planets cross paths opposite of the sun, and are really visible. This actually did occur in 7 BCE, so perhaps the authors of the New Testament were referring to this event. It would have been incredibly bright, and very unique.
The theory that we have the date wrong on the birth of Jesus’ was first proffered by Kepler, and astronomer of the early 1600s. He observed the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars and the remnant of a super nova, which created a unique scene in the sky. That is when he offered this theory, which became prevailing wisdom about how a Star might have miraculously appeared in the heavens.
Celestial events have impacted our society in major ways. The planets follow a elliptical pattern and have developed into mythology over time. It is no coincidence that all the constellations of the Zodiac fall into this pattern, as planets pass through them.
So maybe now that the planets have aligned, this might be the event that signifies your own personal transformation!? If you were waiting for a sign, well here it is.
Guy Reams
