The Mystery of The Star in the East

I am very curious exactly what that bright “star” the wise men (magi / astrologers) actually saw. The book of Matthew is only Gospel in the Bible this mysterious star was described

For many decades many theories have been forwarded by astronomers to solve the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem over Judea

 Astronomers have even used computers to calculate back the dates of its appearance.

 Most of the theories believed by astronomers are based on apparent planetary alignment of bright planets such as a triple conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Mars.

In astronomy a conjunction occurs when any two or more astronomical objects such as planets, stars or any heavenly bodies appear to come close together in the sky, as seen from Earth. They are apparently optically-fused together as seen from line-of-sight.

Sometimes bright stars like Rigel in Orion may have conjunctions with bright planets like Venus and Jupiter as part of multiple conjunctions. We shall go into that later.

There were theories that the Star of Bethlehem was actually the conjunction of various planets making them look unusually bright.  They even gave various dates of around the 3 B.C. to 4 B.C. when King Herod and was around when triple conjunctions occurred.

They were able to demonstrate triple or multiple conjunctions by calculating backwards into time when Jesus was born, and even using planetariums projectors to play back the ancient skies of Babylonia when the "Star of Bethlehem" was seen by the magi (wise men / astrologers) described in the Book of Matthew

The story of Jesus' birth in the manger is found only in Luke 1:26–27, while the Star in the East was recorded only in the Gospel of Matthew. Nowhere else except Luke and Mathew recorded the account of nativity 

The date December 25 arbitrarily given for the date of Jesus birth was chosen by the early Christians merely to compete with the Mithra festival on that day to take advantage of the general jubilation at the time of the winter solstice

(Mithraism is the worship of Mithra, the Iranian god of the sun, justice, contract, and war in pre-Zoroastrian Iran. Known as Mithras in the Roman Empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries this deity was honoured as the patron of loyalty to the emperor).

Both Mathew and Luke place the birth of Jesus during the time of Herod, and that the monarch died in 4 BC.

It would seem Jesus could not have been born later than 4 BC and so could not have been less than two years old at the time of the second and more impressive combination.

Let me quote what was predicted about the birth of Jesus even from the beginning in Genesis.

“Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be”

(Genesis 49: 9-10).

It so happens that one of the constellations of the Zodiac is Leo, the Lion.

It would be easy for the astrologers to suppose that Leo represents Judah and the House of David since David was descended from Judah, and Jesus was associated with both.

Since "a lawgiver from between his (lion) feet, until Shiloh come" in the constellation Leo has a brightest star called Regulus which is the Latin for "little king".  This seems to refer to Jesus as a very bright star

It so happens in 3 BC and in 2 BC there was a double conjunction between two brightest planets - Venus and Jupiter in the constellation Leo with Regulus sandwiched between with a separation of just 3 degrees on either side from Regulus. Furthermore, it was seen in the eastern horizon over Judea

How does that sound? More than impressive I think as a single light seen by the wise men in the East. Could that be the date Jesus was born as already foretold in Genesis 49: 9-10?

But both these two astronomical events took place in summer, far from the winter of 25 December.

However, according to Sinnott, there were no fewer than two hundred when two brightest planets grouped together between 12 BC and AD 7, and during the same period there were twenty occasions when more than two planets came together

If Sinnott was right, I don’t think the wise men would be deceived by such "unusual events" because it would average out with one bright planetary conjunction once a month.

Then again two brightest planets Venus and Jupiter apparently (optically) came close together in the predawn skies over Judea on August 12, 3 BC, and they were separated by only twelve minutes of an arc which is only two-fifth the diameter of the Moon

 King Herod Magnus was born on July 3 BC and died in March or April, 4 BC in Jericho, Judaea. So, the dates seemed very close, the birth of Christ and the reign of King Herod

Hence, we can speculate if that was about the time Jesus was born?

Another even more "bright star" event occurred after sunset on June 17, 2 BC when Venus and Jupiter came even closer together, separated by only three minutes of an arc which is just 10 % of a full Moon. At that angle of separation, it would just be one point of light That was even more impressive to the wise men I suppose?

Seen from Babylonia, both planets would rise from the East with their closest approach around 10 PM Babylonian time as they sank over the western horizon towards the direction of Judea and Bethelhelm. That was even more impressive 

Could that be the Star from the East they followed? My analysis and feeling are probably not, and I shall explain this

In those days, over the plains of Judea, transportation was exceedingly slow by foot, camels or by ass. If the magi had seen the Star in the East and flowed it across the vast desert regions of Judea towards the town of Bethlehem their journey could have taken days, if not weeks or months. The rising and setting of all stars, planets, and even the Sun and Moon is in tandem with the speed of the Earth's rotation by a difference of just 4 minutes earlier each day due to the revolution of the Earth around the Sun.

This means even if the wise men could not catch up with the speed of rotation of Earth and the motions of the heavenly bodies, the stars could rise again the next night in the East and set again in the West about 12 hours later for them to follow each night.

But unfortunately, this wasn't the case.

It clearly states "the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was" (Matthew 2:9).

It looks to me like the star constantly waited for them in front and led them all the way and probably suddenly stopped without setting. It probably disappeared after that after they had arrived in Bethlehem? 

This is extremely unusual since no heavenly body behaves this way. It must be something else hovering in the Babylonian skies for many days or weeks for the wise men to follow.

It is unclear exactly how long after Jesus' birth the magi arrived. Traditionally they were seen to arrive at most a few days after the birth of Jesus as the Gospel of Luke has Jesus leaving for Jerusalem and by that time, he was forty days old from whence he went to Nazareth.

This left a fairly brief window of time for the magi to visit him in Jerusalem, especially considering they needed time to travel from the east via Jerusalem. In this verse Matthew refers to Jesus as a child rather than an infant, perhaps indicating that he was older. Today most scholars feel that Matthew probably meant that Jesus was several months old at the time the magi visited (4)

At least this was their theory which influenced me too for many years.  But not now, this Christmas today (25 December, 2109) I think differently.

I have to disagree with what astronomers have hypothesized for ages.

I now use my own independent analysis by carefully studying the biblical verses below:

"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,

 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and come to worship him (Matthew 2:1-2).

“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and spoke, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was (Matthew 2:7-11)

In verse 7 it says, Then Herod had a secret meeting with the wise men and learned from them the exact time they first saw the star.

First of all, those wise men were astrologers who knew the stars and their positions well (the Bible did NOT say “3” wise men. It merely stated “wise me” without the word “three” there). 

They would already know when various stars and planets would appear and how long they would be seen in their respective positions. They were NOT ordinary people. They were magi, and astrologers. The Bible describes them as wise men, people with knowledge and wisdom.

They would already know when various planets would slowly drift into one spot (conjunction) as a “bright star”

 But that night when Jesus was born, they saw something different. They saw some very unusual light in the sky. They were not stupid people. They were Magi, wise men  

So, I asked myself what that star was, and why was it very unusual for it to appear in the sky over Judea?

In verse 7, it says Herod inquired from them what time (”exact time”) they saw the star. Why exact time?

If it was a triple conjunction as modern astronomers believe, they would already be there over many days before they slowly come together

It appears to me the unusual star appeared suddenly and precisely at an exact time which Herod wanted to know.

This kind of phenomenon happening at a precise spot (in the East) and at an exact time is not known in astronomy. Almost all astronomical events are predictable long before they happen.

This gives me the impression it was neither any kind of sudden planetary alignment, nor a comet, nor even a supernova at that time.

There was also no record of any supernova during the time of King Herod. Even if there was, we would be able to see its nebulous remnants even today as in Crab Nebula.   So, it must be something else

Then in Matthew 2:9 it says:

“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”.

It is very clear to me the star suddenly appeared again after they saw King Herod.

How can such an occurrence be possible, appearing, disappearing, and appearing again?

Not that I know such events in astronomy.  Neither do I know of any star or planet where it went before men, and suddenly stopped where a child was born?  This is completely absurd to me. Neither stars nor planets, even though planets were once called “wandering stars” go before humans, and allow them to follow them, and then suddenly stop at one specific spot where a child (Jesus) was born.

This is completely bizarre to me. This occurrence can only be possible outside our understanding in astronomy.

It has to be completely something else, a divine occurrence or a miracle. This is the only possibility

Furthermore, if it was a triple conjunction as most astronomers think, how could they remain apparently in one spot like a bright star for so long? Their constant motions around the Sun would have separated them within days

I believe the magi must have followed the “star” for many, many days or weeks on foot or by camel over the plains of Judea towards Bethlehem where Jesus was

Over those long periods of travel by foot or by camels, any double or triple conjunction of bright planets like Venus, Mars and Jupiter would have long separated by the time they arrived in Bethlehem.

Their separation would have confused them as to which “star” to follow then.  But they did not. They kept following only that “star”

Furthermore, no planet as wandering stars would stay in one spot where any child was born. It has to be something else we do not know.

Some non-astronomers say it was a UFO, others claimed it was a space ship that brought Jesus to Earth? 

As far as I am concerned, I do not know what it was except ONE thing which was very clear to me.

“the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was” (Matthew 2:9)

That single verse tells me how patient that star (emblem of God) was.  It was so very, very patient to move very, very slowly to allow those wise men to keep pace with it while they travelled on the ground by foot or by camels

Not just that alone.  It says, it went ahead of them… to lead them slowly and patiently. This is truly the hallmark of God who is forever so patient with us all to give us time to think over His presence by leading us ahead so slowly, gently, brightly and forever so patiently. Yet we don’t even realize His enduring patience with us.

Furthermore, if it was some kind of UFO or space that came from another world to Earth, it could easily cut across dimensions, time and space at the speed of light, and left those wise men travelling over the desert at snail speed. But it didn’t.

It patiently led them probably over days, weeks or months with its bright light hovering in the sky… It went before them very, very slowly till they came to the spot where Jesus was humbly born in a manger.

Isn’t that beautiful?  Doesn’t that speak to us about patience and humility, the seal of an Eternal God?

The mystery of the Star of Bethlehem teaches me a lot. I have learnt tremendously by pondering over the verses and the event that happened over 2,000 years ago

My thinking is so unlike astronomers who merely think it was just a triple conjunction of bright planets which I fiercely object to.

 I have my own training and thoughts in astronomy at which He pre-planned for me.  I did not know this earlier when I constantly prayed to Him for years for wisdom and knowledge to understand His wondrous works of art and engineering. He finally led me to the Promised Land of Learning at Oxford in 2018

It was He who finally and slowly lead me there to study astronomy to glorify Him for the Creation of His Universe, and earlier to Cambridge University to understand Evolution and the Mystery of Life, both which are the marvellous work of an Intelligent Designer 

The Star of Bethlehem is a divine revelation to me. It showed me how God led those magi with wisdom and knowledge to Jesus. I too would like to be like them to be led by Him 

This is truly a beautiful a story of a Star declaring birth of Jesus Christ in all its glory  

The Mystery of The Star in the East

The Mystery of The Star of Bethlehem

The story of nativity, the birth Jesus birth in the manger is found only in Luke (Luke 1:26–27), while the Star in the East was recorded is only recorded in the Gospel of Mathew. Nowhere else except Luke and Mathew recorded the account of nativity.

  

The date December 25 arbitrarily given for the date of Jesus birth was chosen by the early Christians merely to compete with the Mithraist fiesta on that day to take advantage of the general joyousness at the time of the winter solstice.

Both Mathew and Luke place the birth of Jesus during the time of Herod, and that the monarch died in 4 BC.

The story of nativity related in the Gospel according to Mathew caused me to be very curious exactly what was that bright “star” the wise men (magi / astrologers) actually saw. The book of Matthew is only place this mysterious star was described.

Theories of Astronomers: 

For many decades many theories have been forwarded by astronomers to solve the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem over Judea.

 Astronomers have even used powerful computers to calculate back the dates of its appearance.

Most of the theories believed by astronomers are based on apparent planetary alignment of bright planets such as a triple conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Mars.

In astronomy a conjunction occurs when any two or more astronomical objects such as planets, stars or any heavenly bodies appear to come close together in the sky, as seen from Earth. They are apparently optically-fused together as seen from line-of-sight.

Sometimes bright stars like Rigel in Orion may have conjunctions with bright planets like Venus and Jupiter as part of multiple conjunctions. We shall go into that later.

This has been theories that the Star of Bethlehem was actually the conjunction of various planets making them look unusually bright.  They even gave various dates of around the 3 B.C. to 4 B.C. when King Herod was around when triple conjunctions occurred.

Astronomers were able to demonstrate triple or multiple conjunctions by calculating backwards into time when Jesus was born, and even using planetariums projectors to play back the ancient skies of Babylonia when the "Star of Bethlehem" was seen by the magi described in the Gospel of Mathew.

Both Mathew and Luke place the birth of Jesus during the time of Herod, and history recorded the monarch died in 4 BC.

So It would seem then Jesus could not have been born later than 4 BC and so could not have been less than two years old.

The Star of Jesus:

Did the Star of Jesus depicted by the Star of Bethlehem  already been foretold even in the beginning in Genesis? 

Let's have a look at this verse.

Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be (Genesis 49: 9-10).

In astrology the wise men probably knew well  about the constellations of the Zodiac, one of which lies a Lion (Leo).

It would be easy for the astrologers to believe that Leo represents Judah and the House of David since David were descended from Judah, and Jesus was associated with both. My point in argument is, was the bright star Regulus or Rigel already signify the coming of Jesus who is going to symbolize the king (Regulus) even in the beginning (Genesis).

Since "a lawgiver from between his (lion) feet, until Shiloh come" in the constellation Leo has a brightest star called Regulus which is the Latin for "little king".  This seems to refer to Jesus as a very bright star. Not just that alone. He was sandwiched by two brightest planets which to my thinking represents His Father and the Holy Spirit (Trinity).

It so happens in 3 BC and in 2 BC there was a double conjunction between two brightest planets - Venus and Jupiter in the constellation Leo with Regulus sandwiched between with a separation of just 3 degrees on either side from Regulus. 

Furthermore it was seen in the eastern horizon over Judea.

How does that sound? More than impressive I think as a single light seen by the wise men in the East. Could that be the date Jesus was born as already foretold in Genesis 49: 9-10?

But both these two astronomical events took place in summer, far from the winter of 25 December.

However, according to Sinnott, there were no fewer than two hundred astronomical events when two brightest planets grouped together between 12 BC and AD 7, and during the same period there were twenty occasions when more than two planets came together,

If Sinnott was right, I don’t think the wise men would be deceived by such "usual events" because this  would average out with one bright planetary conjunction once a month according to Sinnott, and quoted by Isaac Assimov in his article "The Star in the East"

Then again two brightest planets Venus and Jupiter apparently (optically) came close together in the predawn skies over Judea on August 12, 3 BC, and they were separated by only twelve minutes of an arc which is only two-fifth the diameter of the Moon.

Planetary Conjunctions in The Reign of King Herod:  

 King Herod Magnus was born in July 3 BC, and died March or April, 4 BC in Jericho, Judaea. So the dates seemed very close to the birth of Christ during the reign of his reign.

Hence many astronomers would hypothesize that was about the time Jesus was born?

Another even more  "bright star" event occurred after sunset on June 17, 2 BC when Venus and Jupiter came even closer together, separated by only three minutes of an arc which is just 10 % of a full Moon.

At that angle of separation they would just appear as one very bright point of light. That was even more impressive to the magi I suppose? Maybe not as they were wise men as the Bible describes them.

Seen from Babylonia, both planets would rise from the East with their closest approach around 10 PM Babylonian time as they sank over the western horizon towards the direction of Judea and Bethlehem. Could that be the Star the wise men saw in the east?

Could that be the Star from the East they followed? My analysis and feeling is probably not, and I shall explain this.

In those days, over the plains of Judea, transportation was exceedingly slow by foot, camels or by ass. If the magi had seen the Star in the East and followed it across the vast desert regions of Judea towards the town of Bethlehem their journey could have taken days, if not weeks or months.

The rising and setting of all stars, planets, and even the Sun and Moon are not going follow, let alone wait for any person. 

Velocity of Earth's Rotation:

The Earth's speed of rotation is once every 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.09053 seconds, called the sidereal period, over a circumference of 40,075 kilometers which is a speed of 460 meters per second over the equator.

This would be far too fast for the wise men to catch up on foot or on camels.

Of course the motions of the heavenly bodies, planets, Sun, Moon and the stars could rise again the next night in the East and sets again in the West about 12 hours later for them to follow every night.

But unfortunately this wasn't the case. My point of argument is quite different from other astronomers believe if only they read the verse below carefully once again.

It clearly states "the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was" (Matthew 2:9).

It looks like this particular star was quite different from all other stars, planets and other heavenly bodies that rise and set each day like tides that waits  for no one.

But this strange star clearly waited for them in front and leading them all the way and suddenly stopped where Jesus was and then disappeared without setting after they have arrived in Bethlehem?  

Of course if we walk or even speed in a jet plane towards a star in front, it will it will apparently be always ahead of us. But over a just a few hours it will sink towards the west, or it came from the east, it will soon be ahead of us, and overtake us and sets in the west. But this star did not behave that way.

Heavenly Bodies Waits for None: 

In fact it is extremely unusual since no heavenly body behave this way. It must be something else hovering just ahead in the Babylonian skies for many days or weeks. It did not rise or set so that  the wise men can continue to follow. It was finitely NOT any ordinary star or some bright planets in triple or multiple conjunctions.

It is also unclear exactly how long it took for the magi arrived after Jesus was born. Traditionally they were seen to arrive at most a few days after the birth of Jesus as the Gospel of Luke spoke about Jesus leaving for Jerusalem by the time he was forty days old from whence he went to Nazareth.

This left a fairly brief window of time for the magi to visit him in Jerusalem, especially considering they needed time to travel from the east via Jerusalem.

How Old was Jesus then?

In this verse Matthew refers to Jesus as a child rather than an infant, perhaps indicating that he was older. Today most scholars feel that Matthew probably meant that Jesus was several months old at the time the magi visited (4).

The timing of the arrival of the wise men was very crucial in determining the exact time of birth of Jesus. Even Herod inquired the exact time the wise men saw the star.

In short, all the theories put forwards by well-meaning and learned astronomers linking conjunctions of bright planets around the 3 BC and, 4 BC when King Herod was reigning do not support my own  current revised thinking.

At least this was their theories which influenced me too for many years.  But not now, this Christmas today (25 December, 2109)  when I think differently.

My Disagreement: 

I have to disagree with what astronomers have hypothesized for ages.

Let me once again emphasize the verse using my own independent analysis by carefully studying the biblical verses below:

"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,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 (Matthew 2:1-2).

“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said.  

Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was (Matthew 2:7-11).

In verse 7 it says, Then Herod had a secret meeting with the wise men and learned from them the exact time they first saw the star.

Studying carefully those verses, those wise men were astrologers who knew the stars and their positions well (the Bible did NOT say “3” wise men. It merely stated “wise me” without the word “three” there). 

They would already know when various stars and planets would appear and how long they would be seen in their respective positions. They were NOT ordinary people. They were magi, and astrologers. The Bible describes them as wise men, meaning people with knowledge and wisdom.

They would already know when various planets would slowly drift into one spot (conjunction) as a “bright star” 

Since Sinnott himself wrote in Sky and Telescope there were many, many bright planetary conjunctions at that time, do we think these wise men are fools to be deceived? Definitely not in my thinking.

But that night when Jesus was born, they saw something different. They saw some very unusual light in the sky. They were not idiots to see something different.

So what was that, and why was it very unusual in the sky over Judea?

In verse 7, it says Herod inquired from them what was time (”exact time”) they saw the star. Why exact time?

If it was a triple conjunction as modern astronomers believe, they would already be there over many days before they slowly come together.

It appears to me the unusual star appeared suddenly and precisely at an exact time which Herod wanted to know.

Unusual Astronomical Event:

This kind of phenomenon happening at a precise spot (in the East) and at an exact time is not what we know in astronomy. Almost all astronomical events are predictable long before they happen.

This gives me the impression it was neither any kind of sudden planetary alignment, neither a comet, nor even a supernova at that time.

There was also no record of any supernova during the time of King Herod. Even if there was, we would be able to see its nebulous remnants even today as in Crab Nebula.   So it must be something else.

Then in Mathew 2:9 it says:

“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”. It is very clear at least to me the star suddenly appeared again after King Herod consulted the wise men.

How can such an astronomical event be possible - a star appearing, disappeared, and appearing again?

Not that I know in my training in astronomy. which I have just passed before this Christmas. 

Neither do I know of any star or planet where it went before men, and suddenly stopped where a child was born? 

This is completely absurd to me. Neither stars nor planets, even though planets were once called “wandering stars” go before humans, and allow them to follow them, and then suddenly stop at one specific spot where a child (Jesus) was born.

This is completely bizarre to me. This occurrence can only be possible outside our understanding in astronomy.

An Unknown Object:

It has be completely something else, a divine occurrence or a miracle. This is the ONLY possibility

Furthermore, if it was a triple conjunction as most astronomers think, how could they remain apparently in one spot like a bright star for so long? Their constant motions around the Sun would have separated them within days.

I believe the magi must have followed the “star” for many, many days or weeks on foot or by camel over the plains of Judea towards Bethlehem were Jesus was.

Over those long periods of travel by foot or by camels, any double or triple conjunction of bright planets like Venus, Mars and Jupiter would have long separated by the time they arrive in Bethlehem.
 

Their separation would have been confused them as to which “star” to follow then.  But they did not. They kept following only that “star”

Furthermore, no planet as wandering stars would stay in one spot where any child was born. It has to be something else we do not know.

UFO? 

Some non-astronomers claimed it was a UFO, others claimed it was a space ship that brought Jesus to Earth?  This is non-science that we know.

As far as I am concerned, I do not know what it was except ONE thing which was very clear to me.

“the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was” (Matthew 2:9).

The Endurance of The Star:

That single verse tells me how patient that star was if as it was a signal or a message from God about the arrival of His only begotten Son on Planet Earth.

What strikes me most about this star was, it  so very, very patient as  to move very, very slowly to allow those wise men to keep pace with it while they traveled  on the ground by foot or by camels.

Not just that alone.  It says, it went ahead of them… to lead them slowly and patiently. This is truly the hallmark of God who is forever so patient with us all to give us time to think over His presence by leading us ahead so very  slowly, very gently, so brightly and forever so patiently with our slow thinking and belief.  Yet we don’t even realize His enduring patience with us.

Furthermore, if it was some kind of UFO or space (claimed by non - scientists) that came from another world to Earth, then such a space ship could easily cut across dimensions, time and space at the speed of light.

In such a horrendous speed,  it would have left those wise men travelling over the desert at snail speed. It would not have that patience to be with them at camel speed. But it didn’t.

It patiently led them probably over days, weeks or months with its bright light hovering in the sky… It went before them very, very slowly till they came to the spot where Jesus was humbly born in a manger,then it disappeared. Amazing! It is simply too amazing even to the most brilliant astronomical minds to understand.

That is how I feel, probably written with God-guildance which is quite the opposite of what other astronomers and scientists have hypothesized so far.

Isn’t that patience shown by that strange star was true, isn’t that message so beautiful?  Doesn’t that speak to us about patience and humility shown by God?  Isn’t that  the hallmark seal of an Eternal God?

The mystery of the Star of Bethlehem teaches me a lot. I have learnt tremendously by pondering over those verses and the event that happened over 2,000 years ago.

My thinking now is so unlike astronomers who insisted it was just a triple conjunction of bright planets which I fiercely object.

I have my own training and thoughts in astronomy which He has pre-planned this for me which I have not known.   

I did not know this earlier when I constantly prayed to Him for years for wisdom and knowledge to understand  on His wondrous works of art and engineering in the design of heavens and the beginning of the spark of life here on Earth.

My constant prayers over the years of nearly 40 to be given that knowledge of His Intelligent Design, then finally led me to His Promised Land of Learning at Cambridge early this year where  learn the Origin and Evolution of Life, and later this year till near Christmas at Oxford that taught me about the creation of the Universe.

His Promised Land:

It was at both places to the Promised Land He led me wandering for so long in childhood ignorance to understand His marvelous Intelligent Design and His message to all mankind.

The Star of Bethlehem is a divine revelation to me. It showed me how God led those magi with wisdom and knowledge to Jesus. I too want to be like them to be led by Him.

The account of nativity associated with a guiding star light above over the plains of Judea is truly so beautiful a story and an enlightenment for me - a Christmas gift for me when I penned this on Christmas Day even though Jesus came to this Earth sometime in July over 2,000 years ago.

May all my gentle readers be blessed!

References

1. Isaac Asimov. Star in the East. 1976. The Planet That Wasn't. All Sphere Book.

2. No record of any supernova   - Arthur C. Clark. The Star. November 1955. Infinity Science Fiction.

3. Roger W. Sinnott Sky and Telescope. Secember 1968.

4. Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke. London: G. Chapman, 1977.

The Constellations Over The Night Skies - For Beginners

 

Thank you, Bibi, for your interesting question and your interest in astronomy. Thank you for those kind words for me on my essays on Space Travels. I have not quite finished yet. There  are a few more parts to write. Bear with me. 

Thank you for being so appreciative - your kind words are an encouragement for me. They warm my heart deeply.  

Just like your good self,  people often ask me, what are the most famous constellations in the skies?  The concept of "fame" when it comes to constellations is subjective and can vary depending on cultural significance, historical importance, and visibility from Earth. However, some constellations are widely considered more well-known due to their prominence and the stories associated with them. Here are ten of the most famous constellations, in no particular order:

1. Orion - Known as "The Hunter," it is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky, visible across the world.

2. Ursa Major - Famous for containing the Big Dipper asterism, it's one of the largest and most recognizable constellations.

3. Ursa Minor - Known for the Little Dipper and Polaris, the North Star, it's crucial for navigation.

4. Cassiopeia - Easily recognizable due to its distinct W shape, it is associated with the mythological queen Cassiopeia.

5. Scorpius - Known for its shape resembling a scorpion and its bright red star, Antares.

6. Leo - Recognized for resembling a lion, it is most prominent in the northern hemisphere during spring.

7. Taurus - Known for the prominent star cluster Pleiades and the bright star Aldebaran.

8. Gemini - Represents the twins Castor and Pollux, with the stars Castor and Pollux marking their heads.

9. Cygnus - Known as the Swan, it contains the bright star Deneb and the asterism known as the Northern Cross.

10. Aquarius - Famous in astrology and mythology, it's recognized as the water-bearer.

These constellations are commonly studied in astronomy and have significant cultural and navigational importance across different societies.

But the 12 most famous constellations recognized over the Malaysian skies all-round the year starting from Orion beginning from November are:

1.      Orion

2.      Ursa Major

3.      Ursa Minor

4.      Cassiopeia

5.      Scorpius

6.      Sagittarius

7.      Leo

8.      Taurus

9.      Gemini

10. Virgo

11. Canis Major

12. Andromeda

Then  every 3 months thereafter when Orion has set, the other constellations will appear in the night skies.

In November Orion is prominent in the night sky. Other constellations in November are Taurus and Gemini if you face NW directions, Canis Major in the SW direction.

By February Orion begins to set earlier. The other constellations like Taurus (NW), Gemini (NW), Canis Major (SW), Leo (E) will appear.

Then in May, Orion is mostly gone from the evening sky. Other constellations -  Scorpius (S), Sagittarius (S), Libra (S) will appear.

By August, Orion has set and is not visible. Other constellations like Pegasus (E), Andromeda (E), Aquarius (E) will grace the skies.  

The directions to face for observing are the following:

Taurus: Face Northwest (NW)

Gemini: Face Northwest (NW)

Canis Major: Face Southwest (SW)

Leo: Face East (E)

Scorpius: Face South (S)

Sagittarius: Face South (S)

Libra: Face South (S)

Pegasus: Face East (E)

Andromeda: Face East (E)

Aquarius: Face East (E)

In order to help beginners to identify the constellations, I suggest they buy a planisphere which is a rotating star chart that displays the visible stars and constellations in the night sky for a specific time and location. It consists of two discs: the outer disc shows a map of the stars, while the inner disc has a cut-out window that reveals the stars visible at a given time when aligned with a specific date and time.

Here is how a planisphere works:

Date and Time Alignment -  To use a planisphere, they first set the date and time on the device. The outer disc is rotated until the current date aligns with the time indicator on the inner disc.

Place it against the sky for viewing the constellations. The cut-out window will show the portion of the sky that is visible at that time, including constellations and bright stars. By using the planisphere regularly, they can familiarize themselves with the constellations and their positions throughout the year.

While many planispheres are designed for the northern hemisphere, there are versions specifically made for the southern hemisphere. Near the equator like in Malaysia, a planisphere can still be useful, but it may not provide all the details for constellations that are specific to either hemisphere. Some constellations will be visible from both the northern and southern perspectives.

For Malaysian skies, they might want to look for a planisphere that covers both northern and southern hemisphere constellations. Here are some options for purchasing one:

Online Retailers: Websites like Amazon or local e-commerce platforms (like Lazada or Shopee) often have a variety of planispheres.

Bookstores: Check local bookstores or specialty science shops that might stock astronomy-related products.

Astronomy Clubs: Reach out to local astronomy clubs in Malaysia, as they may have recommendations or even sell planispheres.

Make sure to check the specifications to ensure that it covers the relevant celestial bodies visible from your location!

Getting a planisphere will help amateur astronomers begin to study the  night skies for the first time. I think for me;  Orion is probably the most prominent and most famous among 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). But I have given only 12 most easily recognized ones for amateur astronomers who are keen in studying astronomy for the first time.

There are a lot of folklores and mythologies behind all these constellations. For example, in Greek mythology, Orion was a hunter. According to greekmythology.com, there are several stories about Orion's birth as well as his death. According to the oldest version, described on greekmythology.com Orion was the son of the god Poseidon and Euryale, daughter of King Minos of Crete.

Orion inherited the ability to walk on water from his father and made his way to the island of Chios. It was there that Orion drank too much and made sexual advances to Merope, the daughter of the local king. King Oenopion had Orion blinded and thrown off the island. Orion then made his way to the east where Helios — the sun god — restored his eyesight. Confident in his hunting abilities, Orion declared he would kill every animal in the world but Gaea — the goddess of the Earth — angered by Orion's claims, sent a scorpion to kill him. 

Upon Orion's demise, Zeus turned him into a constellation, along with the scorpion that killed him. According to a constellation website constellation-guide.com, the scorpion (constellation Scorpius) and Orion were placed on opposite sides of the sky so that when Scorpius rises in the sky, Orion flees and sets below the horizon. 

While the name Orion is steeped in Greek mythology, many cultures have been influenced by the story of this constellation. According to constellationguide.com, the three stars of Orion's Belt are known as Drie Konings (the three kings) or Drie Susters (the three sisters) in South Africa. In Spain and Latin America, the stars are called Las Tres Marías, or The Three Marys. Ancient Egyptians believed Orion's Belt was the resting place of the soul of the god Osiris, according to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. 

Whatever their mythologies each constellation is a region of the sky bordered by arcs of right ascension and declination, together covering the entire celestial sphere.

I hope this is interesting for beginners wanting only to learn simple astronomy and their stories behind.  

Once you are more knowledgeable, I shall tell you far more advanced aspect of astronomy – the scientific aspect of it, for example the various scientific theories in astrophysics, astrobiology, cosmology and some of the latest significant discoveries in astronomy such as that involves the detection of gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes. This event, observed by the LIGO and Virgo observatories, provided new insights into how black holes form and evolve. It also opened up a new field of multi-messenger astronomy, where observations are made using different types of signals, such as electromagnetic waves and gravitational waves.

Another exciting development is the ongoing study of exoplanets, particularly those in the habitable zone of their stars. The James Webb Space Telescope has been providing unprecedented data on the atmospheres of distant planets, potentially identifying signs of life or habitable conditions.

These discoveries are just a glimpse into the rapidly evolving field of astronomy, where new technologies and methods are constantly leading to groundbreaking findings.

But let you try to identify the constellations first

Here is a link what you can find in Orion

https://www.space.com/16659-constellation-orion.html

I hope this will excite you.

 

 

The Mystery on The Virgin Birth of Jesus

 Today, 25 December 2023 is Christmas Day, the traditionally presumed date Jesus was born.

See here on the Mystery of Star in the East when Jesus was born.

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/search?q=star+in+the+east

 While bathing late this morning, I was thinking of another mystery: how Jesus was born of virgin birth to Mary in Bethlehem in the reign of King Herod.

Mary’s husband Joseph was descended from King David, and that Jesus' biological parenthood was not Joseph but was divinely conceived. How was this biologically or spiritually possible?

Give me time to think with God Guidance how to explain this phenomenon.  I always trust in Him to guide my hands.

I shall get back to this question later.

-----------------------------------------

Thank you for your patience allowing me to think. Here are some thoughts before Christmas Day ends at eventide this day. Here are the theories I propose:

The virgin birth of Jesus is a central belief of Christian divinity, as described in the New Testament of the Bible in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Allowing Christian belief, Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived him by the Holy Spirit without any human involvement, thereby maintaining her virginity.

Here is what was revealed to her by angel Gabriel:

“The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

(Gospel Luke 1:26-38)

From a religious perception, the virgin birth is considered a miraculous and supernatural event, a divine intervention in the natural order of conception. Christians see it as a realization of Old Testament prophecies and a sign of Jesus' unique nature as the Son of God.

But from a scientific standpoint, the virgin birth is not something that can be explained within the known laws of biology. In normal human reproduction, a sperm cell fertilizes an egg to initiate pregnancy. The concept of a virgin birth implicates an exception to this natural process, and it is not something that scientists can confirm or explain. Normally, religious beliefs and scientific explanations often operate in different worlds and dominions. The virgin birth is a matter of faith within the Christian institution and believers accept it as a supernatural occurrence. Scientific explanations, on the other hand, are based on empirical evidence and natural laws, which do not account for miracles or divine interventions outside our scientific understanding.

However, if we look again at the biological reproduction of life, it is possible for another life to emerge without the actual reunion of a sperm and an egg. It is called asexual reproduction, that is a type of reproduction that involves the production of offspring without the involvement of gametes (sex cells) or the fusion of genetic material from two parents. In asexual reproduction, a single parent is responsible for producing genetically identical offspring. This process occurs in various organisms, including bacteria, plants, and some animals.

There are several methods of asexual reproduction, each with its own mechanisms. Some common forms of asexual reproduction include:

1. Binary fission: This is common in single-celled organisms like bacteria. The cell divides into two equal parts, and each part grows into a complete organism.
2. Budding: In budding, a new organism develops as an outgrowth or bud on the body of the parent. The bud eventually detaches and becomes an independent organism.
3. Fragmentation: This involves breaking the body into fragments, each of which can grow into a new organism. This method is seen in some simple multicellular organisms like certain types of worms and sea stars.
4. Vegetative reproduction: This occurs in plants, where new individuals grow from specialized plant structures such as runners, tubers, bulbs, or rhizomes. Examples include strawberries and potatoes.
5. Parthenogenesis: In some animals, females can produce offspring without fertilization by a male. The offspring are genetically identical to the parent. This occurs in some insects, reptiles, and certain species of fish.

Asexual reproduction has advantages in terms of rapid population increase and the ability to colonize new environments efficiently. However, it lacks the genetic diversity that sexual reproduction provides, which can be advantageous in adapting to changing environments and resisting diseases. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are important strategies in the reproductive strategies of different organisms.

   But Mary was not some kind of microorganism like bacteria or yeast that could produce an offspring asexually. She was a woman, wife of Joseph ordained by God through angel Gabriel

(Gospel Luke 1:26-38)

Hence the concept Mary gave birth to Jesus asexually like lower microorganisms is completely out of tune both theologically and logically. 

 But even before asexual becomes possible, we still need at least one life, no matter how simple to start the fire of life on earth. How then did life first began on Earth is our question? We still must answer this question on the origin of life first.

Here’s an article on the lamp of life whose flame was transferred from one unlit lamp to the other which I wrote. It was posted on Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Mystery of Life: An Unmeasurable Vital Force

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/search?q=the+lamp+of+life

 However, there are other fascinating theories forwarded by scientists how life might have first originated on Earth.  The exact details of life's origin remain uncertain, and ongoing research continues to refine our understanding. Here are some of the notable ones:

1. Abiogenesis:
• Definition: Abiogenesis is the process by which living organisms arise from non-living matter.
• Description: This is the most widely conventional scientific explanation for the origin of life. The impression is that simple organic molecules, such as amino acids and nucleotides, formed through natural processes on early Earth. Over time, these molecules evolved into more complex structures, eventually leading to the first living organisms.
2. RNA World Hypothesis:
• Definition: The RNA World Hypothesis proposes that self-replicating ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules were precursors to current life.
• Description: According to this hypothesis, RNA molecules could have assisted both as a carrier of genetic information and as catalysts for chemical reactions. Over time, RNA molecules might have evolved into more complex forms, eventually giving rise to the first cellular life.
3. Panspermia:
• Definition: Panspermia proposes that life, or at least the key components for life, may have originated outside of Earth and were brought to our planet.
• Description: This theory suggests that dust microorganisms, organic molecules, or even simple life forms may have travelled through space and reached Earth, either on meteorites, comets, or interstellar. Once on Earth, these materials could have provided the building blocks for life.
4. Hydrothermal Vent Hypothesis:
• Description: Some scientists suggest that life may have originated around hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. These vents release mineral-laden water, providing a rich source of chemicals. The heat and mineral content at these vents could have created conditions conducive to the formation of organic molecules and the initiation of life.
5. Clay Hypothesis:
• Description: This theory proposes that complex organic molecules could have formed on the surfaces of clay minerals. The minerals might have acted as a template, facilitating the assembly of organic molecules into more complex structures.
6. Deep-Sea Alkaline Hydrothermal Vent Hypothesis:
• Description: This theory proposes that life may have originated in the warm, alkaline, and mineral-rich environment of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. These conditions could have provided a suitable setting for the formation of organic molecules and the emergence of early life.

These theories are not mutually exclusive. It is possible that several factors and processes contributed to the origin of life on Earth. Additionally, the lack of direct observational evidence and the complexity of the processes involved make it challenging to pinpoint a single, definitive explanation. Ongoing scientific research and exploration aim to provide more insights into the mystery of life's origin.

But none of these theories fits on the virgin birth of Jesus, as described in Christian theology. His birth is considered a miraculous and unique event.  According to Christian belief, Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived him without a human father. This event is often referred to as the Virgin Birth or the Immaculate Conception. The term "Immaculate Conception" also specifically refers to the belief in the sinless conception of Mary, not to the virgin birth of Jesus.

From a biological standpoint, the virgin birth of Jesus, as described in Christian theology, is not explained by the typical processes of asexual reproduction seen in nature that started from the origin of life on Earth as Earth was already teeming with life and human beings even long before Jesus arrived. Jesus obviously as the Son of God clearly did not arrive on Earth as some kind of alien being from another world in a spaceship for sure. If He did, then it would have negated the origin of life on Earth including primitive life as dust bearing microorganisms, organic molecules, or simple life forms that may have travelled through space and reached Earth, either on meteorites, comets, or on interstellar dusts as building blocks for life. Astronomers have even proposed we were made from star dust brought to Earth from a supernova explosion of a distant star. Jesus was conceived in the virgin womb of Mary in human form and not as an alien from another world. Jesus was physical in form except the Spirit of God remained into His body even when He was about 30 years old to bestow divine powers to Him to begin His ministry. 

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35). 

It is so clear the above verse tells me instantly the Spirit (Holy Ghost) of God shall enter into the body (womb) of Mary to make her conceive asexually without the help of Joseph, her husband, and also His Spirit shall be passed into the body of unborn Jesus to make Him the Son of God. 

That verse is spiritually so very clear to me. We can't be that spiritually blind to be unable to interpret that verse.  

None of our current theory on the origin of life fits into how Jesus with extraordinary divine powers came to this world.  He was clearly conceived as a human in the virgin womb of Mary.  

Hence, the virgin birth as described in Christian tradition, is considered a supernatural occurrence, and it is not meant to be explained or understood through conventional biological processes such as asexual in origin.

In Christian theology, the virgin birth is regarded as a divine intervention, with the Holy Spirit being associated with the conception of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew (1:18-25) and the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38) in the New Testament of the Bible contain accounts of the virgin birth. Christians consider the virgin birth to be a unique and central aspect of the story of Jesus' incarnation.

Given this thought, I think it was the spirit of God who entered the womb of Mary to fertilize her ovaries as much as God breathed into the nostrils of Adam, and man who was made from non-living soil became a living soul as described in Genesis 2:7.

The interpretation I suggest here aligns with certain Christian theological perspectives, particularly those that emphasize the divine and miraculous nature of the events described in the Bible. My argument draws parallels between the conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit and the creation of Adam in the book of Genesis.

In Genesis 2:7 (King James Version), it is written:  "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." This passage describes the creation of Adam, the first man, with the implication that God's breath imparted life to him Likewise, in the Christian understanding of the virgin birth, the Holy Spirit is often associated with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. The Gospel of Luke (1:35, NIV) states: "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most-High” overshadows all our scientific theories.  So, the holy one to be born will be called “The Son of God."

In both cases, there is a direct involvement of the divine—whether it's the breath of God giving life to Adam or the Holy Spirit facilitating the conception of Jesus. This perspective is foundational to Christian beliefs about the incarnation and the divinity of Jesus.

The interpretations of religious texts can vary among different Christian denominations and individual believers. Some may view these events more metaphorically, while others may accentuate a literal understanding of the biblical narratives. Theological perspectives often reflect the teachings of specific religious traditions.

Having explained, May the Spirit of God, this Christmas Day, 25 December 2023 enter your life, my gentle readers into everlasting belief towards eternal life.

May this be so.  Amen!

(My mission to write on the mystery about the virgin birth of Jesus while bathing late this morning has now been completed through the Guiding Hands of God at exactly 7:16 pm Malaysian Time (Malaysian Time is 8 hours ahead of GMT) when the Sun in my place at a latitude of 3.2379° N, and a longitude of 101.6840° E has just set in at minus 1 degree below horizon at the azimuth 247 degrees West for the close of this Christmas Day.  

I thank Him for the completion this mission He ordained for me)

Jb lim