This is the Classical Astronomy Update, an email newsletter especially
for Christian homeschool
families (though everyone is welcome!) Please feel free to share this with any interested friends.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when
it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them
away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning
they are like grass which groweth up. - Psalm 30:4-5
IN THIS UPDATE
The Grand Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
What Was the Star of Bethlehem?
Hello Friends,
December 15, 2020 will mark the 30th anniversary of Classical Astronomy. On that date in 1990, I was 29 years old and we were living in the Washington, D.C. area. During the DC years I discovered Sky & Telescope magazine and amateur astronomy, which changed the course of my life. I became a member of the National Capital Astronomers (NCA), an astronomy club which hosted a telescope making
class. I ground three telescope mirrors in that class.
I met many interesting people in NCA. One of them was Bob McCracken, one of the original co-inventors of the atomic clock in the 1950s. Bob was an old guy when I was young, and he was quite the raconteur, very knowledgable of a great many subjects. Bob was retired from the old National Bureau of Standards. His contribution to the atomic clock was to discover the hyperfine spectral structure of the Cesium
atom, which is the basis for the standard second used in all international timekeeping today.
In basic terms, the "second" is defined as precisely 9,192,631,770 oscillations of a Cesium atom at this hyperfine spectral frequency. An atomic clock somehow measures that with great precision. Every few years modern atomic timekeeping needs to account for a "leap second" when the sloppy rotation of the Earth gets out of synch with our nano-precise atomic clocks. This standard unit of time is the basis of GPS,
which is used for all timekeeping and position location on the Earth, from the military to the stock market and beyond, regulating every aspect of daily life in the modern world.
Here's my favorite Bob McCracken story -- Bob had a special security clearance to use one of the vintage 6-inch Alvan Clark refracting telescopes on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observtory (USNO). One night in the 1980s he was looking through the scope when then-Vice President George Bush came jogging along (since the residence of the Vice President is on the grounds of USNO). Bob hung out with the future president,
and showed him whatever planets and other celestial objects that could be seen through the light pollution of Washington, D.C.
So anyway, I was quite impressed with Bob McCracken and happy and honored to be his friend. One night, December 15, 1990, Bob and I were talking on the phone about how to develop unique ways to teach people about astronomy. I hung up the phone and realized that illustrations could be used to communicate astronomical concepts. Astronomy is a visual subject so why not use visual media to teach it? In that
era most astronomy education was "words on paper," not an effective approach since it is very difficult to present only verbal explanations of visual astronomical phenomena.
From that initial inspiration, I created hundreds of pages of astronomy illustrations. I studied all the great works of astronomy, from the Ancient Greeks through Kopernik, Kepler, Galileo and Newton, among many others. I lost track of Bob McCracken when we moved home to Cleveland in 1993. I was saddened to learn of his death in 1996. Bob's obituary lists his long record of accomplishments and the lives he touched.
"The Project" that became Classical Astronomy had consumed my life. I spent years writing books and trying to get published. From 1997 to 2001 I created an educational astronomy comic strip called SkyWise that appeared in Sky & Telescope magazine. I created a scratchy educational astronomy comic book called Cycles which has been used by schoolteachers for years, and has recently been brought back into print by popular demand.
All of this happened in the background while working full time and raising our five children. So after a decade of failing to get published in the mainstream, I quit all that to devote my attention to our little kids. We had started homeschooling by then and in 2002, I retooled my Starman Update newsletter (which I had written mostly for friends since 1996) into The Classical Astronomy Update,
directed to homeschool families.
At that point I never intended to do anything more than create this newsletter. But it got the attention of several "big name" people on the homeschool scene, including our recently departed friend Laurie Bluedorn. These ladies eventually persuaded me to create a homeschool curriculum. So after a couple years of cajoling, I caved in and self-published Signs & Seasons in 2007.
So fast forward to the present, here I am on the threshold of 60, having done Classical Astronomy for more than half my life. Wow, that was quick.
For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. - James 4:14.
Though I regret taking so much time away from my little kids in this pursuit, I am grateful for the things that the LORD has shown me in these last three decades, both in His sky and through my extensive research. And I am grateful to all of you who have taken an interest in the LORD's sky through my efforts. Thank you all! Hope everyone has a blessed Christmas season in this memorable year of
2020.
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On another note, I've made a few changes in the wake of recent events. I've created a new social media account on Parler and ask that everyone please follow me there. I intend to transition away from Facebook and Instragram whenever time permits.
I try to avoid politics in this forum, but let me just briefly say that we have recently observed the alarming degree of power wielded by Big Tech and Big Media. This should concern everyone of all persuasions who cherishes our American freedoms. I'd encourage everyone who agrees to "vote with their dollar" and find other things to do with their time. Put down the phone, walk away from the TV, spend more time
offline and otherwise away from the ubiquitous screens. Take more walks, read more books (paper books, not ebooks), talk more to people, devote more time to a ministry or other worthy cause, and spend more time observing the sky, both in the day and in the night.
For more information about topics from Classical Astronomy
discussed in this newsletter, please check out
a homeschool astronomy curriculum
(but popular with adult readers too!)
Visit our archive of previous editions of the Classical Astronomy Update newsletters, going back to 2007.
*****
The Grand Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
If you've been reading this newsletter or following our Facebook page in 2020, you're aware that the bright planets Jupiter and Saturn have been drawing closer, approaching their "Grand Conjunction," an alignment that only occurs every 20 years. (Check out our archive of previous issues to learn more.) The time is quickly approaching so keep your eyes on this pair every clear night in the coming weeks!
Since October these planets have been drawing closer and closer. However, even if you're watching regularly, it can be hard to notice the change. From watching other conjunctions come together over the years, I believe the human mind tends to forget how things looked a month ago. Also, these planets are now lower in the sky than they were in the summer, which affects their appearance.
As this pair gets close to the horizon, the "Moon illusion" makes them appear farther apart, even though they are physically closer. This was astutely noted by Jacqui on the Facebook page. Just as the Sun and Moon appear larger when near the horizon, the distance between Jupiter and Saturn also appear larger when they are close to setting. But this is only an illusion and there is a way to observe the
difference.
You can measure the planetary positions without relying on memory alone. Your can make approximate angle measurementswith just your fingers. Hold out your hand at arm's length and see how many fingers will fit between the planets. At one point this year, I could fit 4 fingers between Jupiter and Saturn. I saw this pair just tonight and only one finger fit between and two fingers covered this pair.
This separation will get a LOT closer by December 21.
During the month of December, Jupiter and Saturn will be closing the gap. As December 21 approaches, the changes should be readily apparent even from night to night. But when the distance becomes less than one finger, try holding a pencil at arm's length. You can notice from night to night that there is less space between the planets and the pencil eraser.
On December 21, 2020, the closest alignment, Jupiter and Saturn will be quite low in the evening sky after sunset and night falls. You'll need a clear, flat horizon to spot this pair. You can locate the pair a few days earlier when the waxing crescent Moon passes these planets on the evenings of December 16 and 17.
A pencil eraser held at arm's length subtends an angle of about 1/2 degree, which is the angular size of the Moon in the night sky. It might be hard to believe that the Moon is only that small but sometime try holding up a pencil next to the Moon to see for yourself.
At closest conjunction, Jupiter and Saturn will be only 0.1 degrees apart, a mere 1/5 of a lunar diameter. At this time, the pencil eraser will completely cover over Jupiter and Saturn. It should be easy to see both of these planets together in the field of a telescope eyepiece, as shown in this picture below. (This image is adapted from Stellarium, a free
open-source planetarium program. Check it out, it's been greatly improved over the years.)
Even though Grand Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn happens every 20 years, this is the closest that most everyone alive today can expect to see in their lifetime. There will be Grand Conjunctions on November 5, 2040 and April 10, 2060, but these will not be as close. But there will one in another 60 years, on March 15, 2080, that will be slightly closer and higher in the sky as seen at sunrise. My grandson
Jonah, who was born this year, will be a few months older than I am now on that day. So make the most of this very rare event!
As an aside, this Grand Conjunction is only visible from the Earth. Jupiter and Saturn were aligned with the Sun on about November 1, when Saturn would have been at opposition as seen from Jupiter, and Jupiter would have been at inferior conjunction as seen from Saturn. By December 21, these planets will have moved out of alignment with the Sun but will be aligned as seen from the line of sight of the Earth's
position in its orbit.
Friends, be sure to take a look in the coming weeks and witness this rare configuration of planets. Grand Conjunctions can be very inspiring. It's been said that the 16th century astronomer Tycho Brahe witnessed a Grand Conjunction as a boy, and this inspired his lifetime passion for astronomy. Observe this event with your own children, maybe one of them will be the next Tycho!
For my part, my own expectations are low since our December weather here on the ice-encrusted shores of the Great Lakes is predictably cloudy in that season, as in many other temperate locales in North America and beyond. But we can expect to see excellent photos that will likely be shared on social media, which is better than nothing! If you have clear skies in your area, check it on behalf of those of under stuck
under clouds!
What Was the Star of Bethlehem?
(The following is a revised version of an Update article from 2008. My thoughts on this subject have changed over the years and this version reflects my current understanding. This article is long-ish so be advised. If you just read the previous article, you might like to read this one at another time between now and Christmas.)
One of our most frequently asked questions, especially around this time of year, is "what was the Star of Bethlehem?" I don't like this question and always wince every time it comes up. The truth is, I don't know the answer, and in fact, no one else does either, in spite of what you might hear. If there was a
clear-cut answer to this question, everyone would already know the answer and wouldn't have to ask.
In the meantime, there always seems to be a new popular theory coming along, sometimes every Christmas. Planetariums often put on shows for the public that attempt to provide an answer. Authors have written books hundreds of pages long on the subject, all very well documented and citing considerable extra-Biblical
evidence. Enthusiastic readers will claim that this author "has got it," that this person is finally the one person in 2000 years to come up with the answer. Yet the Star of Bethlehem is only mentioned in the Holy Bible in four verses of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. There is simply not enough information given in Scripture to draw a definitive conclusion.
These theories typically attempt to give a rationalistic, naturalist explanation of the Star of Bethlehem. But after pondering the evidence and the various theories over the years, I've concluded that the Star of Bethlehem must have been a supernatural event, not a natural occurrence of astronomy. We'll look at some of that
evidence in this article.
What Does The Text of Scripture Say?
To illustrate the difficulty in trying to answering this question, here is the text of Matthew 2: 1-14. The instances of the star are shown in bold underlining:
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
We have to always be careful to not read too much into the text and infer information that is not there. For example, the text only says "wise men" (the Greek magoi (μαγοι) i.e. "Magi"). The text does not say that they are kings or that there were three of them or that their names were Caspar, Melchior, or Balthazer, as according to tradition. (But the text does say that
the wise men brought three gifts.) So if we can forget everything we ever learned about the Nativity story that is not actually in the text of Scripture, we can consider the scanty information provided in this passage about the Star.
1. It's called a "star" (variously the Greek astera, asteros, and aster (αστερα, αστερος, αστηρ)). So it must have at least had a star-like appearance, though it did not behave like a fixed star.
2. The wise men saw the Star in the east and it compelled them to travel to Jerusalem seeking the newborn king, that they would worship him. No information is given as to the wise men's culture, prophecies, etc. that would suggest a reason for this response.
3. Based on Herod's enquiry, the Star apparently appeared at a certain time, suggesting that it was not visible and then it became visible.
4. As the wise men left Jerusalem for Bethlehem, the Star "went before" them and "stood over" the location of Jesus, apparently to the very house.
5. The Star led the wise men to rejoice.
This is the only information provided in the text. Neither a natural star or planet behaves in a manner that comports with this description, as will be explained in detail below.
When Exactly Was Jesus Born?
Whenever people ask about the Star of Bethlehem, what they want to know is whether there was an actual recorded astronomical event that accompanied the birth of Jesus. But one of the many problems with trying to answer is that we do not know for sure exactly when Jesus was born. Also, even if we suppose a range of years
when Jesus might have been born, there are no clear cut astronomical events within that range that would meet all the requirements of the Star of Bethlehem according to Scripture, science, and secular history.
Ironically, though Jesus is the most important person in history, there is not a lot of specific information about His life outside the Gospels, and Scripture does not provide a great amount of detail. Modern chronology can give us accurate dates for the births of Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, and a great number of other ancient personages, but not of Jesus
himself.
The Bible gives us many clues about the Nativity but none that can be specifically correlated with recorded historical events. For example, Luke 2:1-2 indicates "a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed" which occurred "when Cyrenius was governor of Syria." Scholars debate back and forth when this
might have been, based on the sketchy records that have survived of the early Roman empire.
Matthew 2:1 states that "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king." Traditionally, Jesus' birth is dated to 4 B.C based on a clue recorded by Flavius Josephus, the first century Jewish historian. Josephus wrote of the execution of two seditionists, both named Matthias, stating "and that very night
there was an eclipse of the moon." Modern astronomy has dated this eclipse to the night of March 13, 4 B.C.
Since Josephus indicates the death of Herod as being soon thereafter, many scholars infer that Jesus must have been born sometime in that year. It also happens that since 4 B.C. was the 750th anniversary of the founding of Rome and the 25th year of Caesar Augustus' rule, scholarship concludes that this was a likely time for
Caesar to order a census. If all this sounds like a stretch, it should at least indicate the difficulties in trying to draw conclusions from scanty historical evidence.
So What Was the Star of Bethlehem?
In addition to the chronological problems with dating the birth of Jesus, we then must determine whether there are historical records of any astronomical events that meet the requirements. Also, no one is sure exactly what sort of celestial event would have signified the birth of the "King of the Jews" to the "wise men from the
east," traditionally regarded as Persian astrologers.
Over the years, people have attempted to argue that the Star of Bethlehem was a supernova, a comet, or a conjunction of planets. Let's consider each of these:
Supernova
From time to time in history, a nova was seen in the night sky, a "new star," from the Latin word for "new." Modern science defines a supernova as an exploding star, which shines very brightly for a short time and then goes away. Throughout history, a number of novae have been observed in the night sky. Ancient
Chinese astronomers kept a careful record of such new stars, though no such records survive in any Greek, Roman, or other western sources.
It would be very tempting to suppose the Star of Bethlehem would have been a supernova. Such a unique occurrence is very rare and would be a very conspicuous sign in the sky that would attract a lot of attention. And it would have looked star-like and "appeared" as suggested by Herod's enquiry to the wise men. The
problem is, there is no historical or scientific evidence of such a supernova. The Chinese did not record any new stars within the suitable period of time.
Also, supernovae leave behind a remnant in the form of a nebula that can be seen today through telescopes on the Earth. The most famous example is the Crab Nebula in the constellation Taurus, the remnant of a supernova that the Chinese observed in A.D. 1054. If there were a supernova that was visible over the latitude of
Bethlehem in or around 4 B.C., a remnant nebula should be visible in a certain region of the sky. However, no such object can be found.
Conjunction of Planets
In recent years it's become popular to think that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction of planets. This concept was depicted in the movie The Nativity Story, which showed the wise men following two "stars" that were moving into position. There's also an idea circulating in articles about the Grand Conjunction of
Jupiter and Saturn of 2020 that the astronomer Johannes Kepler proposed that a similar event in 7 BC might have been the Star of Bethlehem. However, I've read many of Kepler's works and have never encountered such a statement, nor have I ever heard of that before 2020, nor have I seen any citations of a source.
It must be considered that a well-developed Greek astronomy tradition existed in the Roman world of the first century. Most people in the time of the New Testament would have understood the difference between a fixed star (astera) and the planets that moved in regular cycles through the zodiac. Moreover, a conjunction does
not "appear" according to Herod's enquiry of the wise men. It comes together over a span of weeks and months.
One popular conjunction theory is the notion that the Star of Bethlehem was a very rare triple conjunction of the bright planet Jupiter with the star Regulus in the constellation Leo. In this astronomical event, Jupiter would have had a retrogradation in Leo such that it would have passed this bright star three times over a span
of months. This theory appears compelling in that it is full of astrological symbolism that might indicate to a Persian magus that a king was born in Judaea.
Such a triple conjunction event did actually occur over a span from September, 3 B.C. through May, 2 B.C. Blazingly bright Jupiter, which purportedly signifies kingship in astrology, passed three times very closely to the brightest star of Leo the Lion, which might signify Judah (as from the Blessing of Israel, Genesis
49:9). No doubt this was at least a spectacular sight to anyone who saw it at the time.
The triple conjunction theory is explained in detail in the "Bethlehem Star" DVD. Though a compelling case is made, this triple conjunction event is not a "star" per se (astera) but rather an alignment of a well known star and a planet. This triple conjunction is a series of close approaches of these objects spread
out over an eight month period. It does not "appear."
Also, this conjunction series occurs after the traditionally accepted date of the death of Herod in 4 B.C. as suggested by Josephus. However, scholars are constantly debating over the skimpy facts, so a strong element of guesswork is involved in any of these chronologies or Star theories.
Comet
Over the years, one popular idea is that the Star of Bethlehem was a comet, a celestial object with a long tail that passes through the solar system for a short time. This theory has been around since at least about A.D. 250, with the Christian writer Origen, who wrote:
The star that was seen in the east we consider to have been a new star, unlike any of the other well-known planetary bodies, either those in the firmament above or those among the lower orbs, but partaking of the nature of those celestial bodies which appear at times, such as comets, or those meteors which resemble beams of wood,
or beards, or wine jars, or any of those other names by which the Greeks are accustomed to describe their varying appearances.
A comet fits the Scriptural description of the Star in that it "appears," being invisible and then becoming visible. But comets do not look star-like. Comets were well known in New Testament times and could have been identified as such by the Gospel writer.
One popular notion that made the rounds for a while was that the Star of Bethlehem was an appearance of Halley's Comet. It was the astronomer Edmund Halley who, in A.D. 1715, discovered that a number of the famous comets of history were actually reappearances of the same comet.
One such reappearance was in A.D. 1305 which might have been observed by the Italian artist Giotto di Bondone. That very year, Giotto painted a famous fresco entitled Adoration of the Magi, which included a very comet-like depiction of the Star of Bethlehem.
However, the arithmetic of the cycle of Comet Halley indicates that it would have revisited the Earth in A.D. 12, much too late to have been within the lifetime of King Herod.
At any rate, in 1985 NASA sent a space probe called Giotto to study Halley's Comet upon its return to the inner solar system in 1986.
Another comet theory of the Star of Bethlehem is explained by astronomer Colin Humphreys who considers a number of historical sources and scientific data, including Chinese observations of comets from the period, concluding that the Star of Bethlehem might indeed have been a comet.
So What Was The Star of Bethlehem Anyway?
In my opinion, all the above naturalistic theories are, at best, in the category of "maybe, maybe not." They all have their compelling arguments and yet none fit all the available facts of science, history and Scripture. However, as far as I'm concerned, all rationalistic, naturalistic theories to locate a celestial object
as the Star of Bethlehem suffer from a fatal flaw: the Star of Bethlehem as described in Scripture does not behave like a natural celestial object. The text of Matthew 2:9 states:
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
So after their audience with Herod in Jerusalem, the star "went before" the wise men, and "stood over" the place where Jesus was. The distance from Jerusalem and Bethlehem is about six miles, maybe a three or four hour walk. So the wise men could have reached Bethlehem the same night.
All natural celestial bodies in space, as seen from the Earth, rise in the east, reach their highest point in the sky at the meridian, and set toward the west. However, Bethlehem is nearly due south of Jerusalem. Any natural star would pass to their left or right as the wise men headed south from Jerusalem, and would not
have "went before them" as Scripture indicates.
Also, for a star to have "stood over" a place, it would have to pass through the zenith, otherwise it would appear off to the north or south. There are no visible supernova remnants that pass through the zenith at the latitude of Bethlehem. Further, neither Jupiter nor Regulus nor any other planets pass overhead at
Bethlehem's latitude. A comet could have passed overhead at the latitude of Bethlehem, but there's still a Scriptural problem that every natural celestial body cannot overcome....
Even if a star passes overhead at the latitude of Bethlehem, the text clearly states that the Star of Bethlehem "stood over where the child was." It needed to point to the specific location of Jesus within Bethlehem, not just locate the town itself.
Since Bethlehem and Jerusalem are only six miles apart, there is virtually no difference in latitude, nothing that assist in the celestial navigation between these cities. Any star at the zenith of Bethlehem would also be at the zenith of Jerusalem. Also, any natural object would only pass briefly through the zenith, but
would not "stand over" a place, at least not for longer than a moment.
Also, after talking to Herod, the wise men knew they were going to Bethlehem and the town lay along a certain road. There would have been no need to look at the Star at that point, at the zenith or otherwise. All they needed to do was stay on the road if it was enough to merely find the little town of Bethlehem. But the
text of Scripture states that the Star led them to the actual location of Jesus, not just the town.
The text of Matthew 2:9 clearly describes an object that "went before" the wise men and "stood over" a precise location. This is not a description of a natural celestial body. The Star, as described in Scripture, would have to move around in space, and then hold a geosynchronous position in the sky against the apparent
motion of the sky due to Earth's rotation, and then indicate a specific spot within Bethlehem for the wise men to follow.
As mentioned many times in the Update and in our Signs & Seasons curriculum, Classical Astronomy was well understood for centuries before the New Testament period, and anyone reading the text at that time would likely have understood that the object that led the wise men to young Jesus did not behave as a natural celestial
object.
An excellent visualization of the Star of Bethlehem and the Scriptural description of its movement is found in the opening scene of Ben Hur, the 1959 movie starring Charleton Heston.
Scholars and other modern "wise men" can sort all this out by bogging down with semantics or creatively interpreting the passage. Either way, as we've seen, Scripture does not supply very much detail, secular history does not offer much support, and science does not offer a plausible naturalistic explanation.
Given all the above, I just choose to stick with a simple acceptance of the Biblical text and don't attempt to reconcile it with naturalistic speculations. As for me and my house, we choose to understand the Star of Bethlehem to be a supernatural event that guided the wise men, like the angelic hosts that directed the shepherds
to the manger.
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This will be the last Classical Astronomy Update newsletter for 2020. We pray that your family is blessed in the new year, and that 2021 will be a happier, healthier and less tumultous year than the one passing. Thank you all for your support of my efforts to promote astronomy these last 30 years. I'm very grateful
for your interest in this work and am honored to present to you this information, helping you to discover the heavens which declare the glories of God.
Til next time, God bless and clear skies,
- jay
The Ryan Family
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art
mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
- Psalm 8:3-4, a Psalm of David
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