REAL? Judge for yourself...

Transcription

1 Was The XMAS STAR REAL? The STAR OF BETHLEHEM It has fascinated us for millennia. Believers, scoffers and the curious have wondered at the Biblical account of the Star. The Bible recounts unusual, or even impossible astronomical events at Christ's birth. For many doubters, the account of the Star is easily dismissed as myth. For many believers, it's a mystery accepted on faith. But what happens if we combine current historical scholarship, astronomical fact and an open mind? Researcher David Reneke believes astronomers may have found the answer to the fabled Xmas Star - or at least something that fits all the known facts. All the evidence is here for you Without going through all the time and hassles of searching for the information yourself With the aid of modern astronomy software programs astronomers can reproduce the night sky exactly as it was, thousands of years ago. Humans are curious people so I turned back the hands of time and the stars to the time of that long ago Christmas... Judge for yourself...

2 About the author David Reneke, one of Australia s most well known and respected astronomers, writers and lecturers, has over 40 years experience in astronomy with links to some of the world s leading astronomical institutions. David is a feature writer for major Australian newspapers, and is a science correspondent for 60 networked ABC and commercial radio stations. David s audience numbers around 4 million listeners weekly! David is a very experienced astronomy and space educator who has entertained and educated many tens of thousands of people with his engaging shows in venues all around Australia. He also produces a range of educational CD-ROMS on all matters associated with astronomy and space exploration for students & beginners. David also runs a space education program called 'Astronomy Outreach'. Designed especially for Australian school students and their teachers, it gives them a refreshing new look at the latest discoveries in astronomy and space science. Last year, David toured the USA where he was invited to attend the world press conference in New York for Sir Richard Branson s new company, Virgin Galactic. David witnessed the unveiling of Branson s brand new concept spacecraft Spaceship-2 heralding in private space travel. He also visited several key space sites across America including a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, finishing up by being the invited guest of Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the Moon) at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Thank you for buying this book I hope you get some enjoyment and satisfaction out of it, but most of all, I hope it helps answer some nagging questions you may have about the nativity or dispels some rumours you may have always wondered about the star and, if you are a Christian, I hope it helps reaffirm your faith in your God.

3 Was the Xmas Star real? What the astronomer found The Star of Bethlehem is one of the most powerful symbols of Christianity. Was it purely a divine sign, or was it an astronomical event in its own right? As an astronomer using modern technological tools I believe we may have found the answer. We see it almost every year around this time, blazing brightly overhead. A brilliant star that heralds good times, holidays and lots of great food. Its Christmas time and you re looking at the planet Venus, often mistaken as the Christmas Star shining brightly, just after sunset in western sky or before dawn when it s called The Morning Star. The Star of Bethlehem is one of the most influential and enigmatic symbols of Christianity. For centuries, scientists, scholars and historians have debated about the nature of this biblical light that heralded the birth of Jesus. Was it purely a divine sign, created miraculously to mark Jesus birth? Or was it an astronomical event in its own right? As I said, astronomers may have found the answer or at least something that fits all the known facts. By the way, I didn t intend to validate anyone s birth date, that wasn t the intention of this study. I merely wanted to see if we could correlate what the bible said to what was actually in the sky at the time. I imagine this will stir severe debate and I ll cop flack for it. But I expect that. Although it s a debatable point, it s generally accepted by most researchers that Christ was born between 3 BC and 1 AD. I based the research on the highly esteemed gospel according to Matthew, the first of the four gospels in the New Testament and, it seems, the first to be written. It s also the only version placing the key players together in the same time period. For additional reference, I also based the research on the gospel according to Luke. Matthew s gospel was written between the years AD; Luke wrote his Gospel between AD. Both agree that Jesus was born, in Bethlehem, during the last years of the reign of Herod the Great, that the birth was announced by a heavenly messenger, and that his actual home town was Nazareth.

4 How did you conduct the research? Good starting point, and a salient question. With modern astronomy software programs astronomers can reproduce the night sky exactly as it was, thousands of years ago. Wouldn t it be good if we could go back and have a look at the night sky of Christ s time to see if we could spot the Xmas star? Well, we have, and we found out something startling. From my research, based on the earlier findings by astronomer John Mosley et al, it looks like the Xmas star really did exist. Two thousand years ago, astronomy and astrology were considered one and the same. The motions of the heavenly bodies were used to determine the events of history, and the fate of people s lives. Of the various groups of priests and prophets of this period, those that garnered the most respect were the Magi. The origins of the Magi are not entirely clear. Known as wise men they were actually priests who relied on astrology and ordered their lives by it. Starry Night ProPlus Planetarium program simulation of the Western pre-dawn sky in Jerusalem 17 June 2BC. As you can see the two planets are almost joined as one creating what has come to be known as the Star of Bethlehem, or the Xmas Star. This is the software I used, and you can recreate any point in history in moments. See details on obtaining this software at the end of this E- Book. By the way, the Christmas Star did not first appear to the Magi on December 25. Indeed, it was Pope Julius I who selected the 25th of December to celebrate Christmas Day. The reason he chose that day is still very unclear. Although it is possible that it was a way to bring Christian religion to a pagan holiday. Armed with an approximate date for the birth of Jesus we ll assume that the Star of Bethlehem was not just a localised event and could be observed by sky-watchers elsewhere in the world, not just by the Magi. Now, historical records and modern-day computer simulations indicate that

5 there was a rare series of planetary groupings, also known as conjunctions, during the years 3 B.C. and 2 B.C. In fact, this was one of the most remarkable periods in terms of celestial events in the last 3,000 years! Like the final pieces of a difficult jig-saw puzzle, our fabled biblical beacon is starting to reveal itself. On 12 August, 3 BC, Jupiter and Venus appeared very close together just before sunrise, appearing as bright morning stars. It would have been visible in the eastern dawn sky of the Middle East from about 3:45 to 5:20 a.m. The crowning touch came ten months later, on 17 June 2BC, as Venus and Jupiter joined up again in the constellation Leo. This time the two planets were so close that, without binoculars, they would have looked like one single brilliant star! Finally, at 8:30 p.m. local time they drew to within a mere 0.6 of an arc minute of each other 9that s close) while appearing to hover just above the western horizon. To the Magi the two brightest planets must have appeared to coalesce into one and glowed before them like a dazzling beacon over Judea. Eyeglasses were many centuries in the future, so only people with perfect eyes would have seen the planets separated. Jupiter was known as the planet of Kings and Saturn as the Protector of the Jews. This could easily have been interpreted as a sign that the Jewish Messiah had been, or was about to be, born. Also, Leo was thought to denote royalty and power. The whole sequence of events could have been enough for at least three astrologers to see this as sign in the heavens and make their way Jerusalem to ask Herod: Where is he that is born King of the Jews, for we have come to worship him. This conjunction itself was unprecedented. It occurred during the evening and would have really lit up the night sky. Was this the fabled Christmas star? It seems so. Now, this doesn t mean that astrology works. We haven t ruled out other possibilities for the Star of Bethlehem but it does make our search more rewarding to find a truly interesting astronomical event that happened during the most likely time for the Nativity. Whatever the Star of Bethlehem was, it has had more impact on mankind than any star before or since. It is also possible that the mystery of the Star will never be completely solved. For many of us though, it is the mystery itself that drives us to find the solution. For some though, they already have the answer. The Star A more detailed biblical account The Christmas story with the angels, shepherds, wise men and star has gripped the imagination of many over the last 20 centuries. As advised I m using as my reference two Biblical accounts, one in Matthew, and one in Luke. They provide the basic information needed to reconstruct MidEastern history and astronomical events in order to discover exactly what occurred in the night sky on that first Christmas when Messiah was born in the cave at Bethlehem amongst the cattle and horses. Luke records that it was the whim of the Roman Emperor Augustus which sent Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This 125 Km journey by foot, and on the back of a donkey, was particularly exhausting for a woman in her 9th month of pregnancy. In the event, they only just got to Bethlehem in time. To make matters worse, when they arrived there, Bethlehem was so crowded that there was no room for them at the inn. Mary had the some Emperor Augustus to thank for that too. He had decreed that there should be a world census and taxation so that he would know the exact

6 resources of his Empire. This order required that each return to the city which had originated their family lineage, and Bethlehem was the city for all those descended from King David. The Census order was given by Augustus in 8 BC. Luke records that it was when 'Cyrenius was first Governor of Syria.' Additionally, the Christian historian Tertullian records that the Judean census took place when Sentius Saturninus was Proconsul to Syria, attending to the day to day running of the province, which included Judea. He left early in 2, about a year before the death of Herod, who was the king of Judea. These facts indicate that the census acted on by Joseph and Mary had been completed by late in 3 BC. This is confirmed by the date of Herod's death. According to Matthew, Herod ordered the slaughter of all children two years old and under, according to the time the Star first appeared to the Wise Men. Therefore, if we back-track two years from the date of Herod's demise, this will give the date for the first appearance of the Star and an approximate date for the birth of the Christ-Child. Josephus records that Herod died shortly after an eclipse of the Moon seen at Jericho, and sometime before the Feast of Passover. It is this point which has caused much historical. confusion, as we have to select between four Lunar eclipses. There is one key piece of evidence which is often overlooked. The Jewish historian Josephus, records that there was a Jewish holiday celebrating Herod's death on 2nd day of the month Shebat. Significantly, this date is in accord with only one of those 4 eclipses, namely the one an 9th Jan, 1 BC. The 2nd Shebat date fell just 15 days after that eclipse. This means that Herod died 24th January I BC. * The Christmas star must have appeared throughout 3 and 2 BC. This accords with the census completed by late 3 BC. As to the time of the year that Messiah was born, Luke gives us further details. He records that shepherds were watching over their flocks by night. There are only two specific times in a year when this was done, namely when lambs were being born in the spring or autumn. At other times of the year they were kept safely in their sheep-folds to protect them from wild animals. Significantly the flocks bred in the Bethlehem fields were used for the Temple sacrifices. It was there, to shepherds, that the angels announced the birth of the Lamb of God who was to make the final sacrifice for the sin of the world. However, we can pinpoint the in the time of Messiah's birth more exactly. Revelation 12 tells of the birth of Messiah when the constellation Virgo (the woman in the heavens) was clothed with the sun and had the moon at her feet. This tells us that Jesus was born when the sun and moon were in Virgo. In other words, at the time of the September New Moon, or shortly thereafter. This fits the autumn lambing season. Furthermore, it coincides with the season of the three Jewish feasts, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. Why then do we celebrate Messiah's birth on December 25th? Among other things it was celebrated by the Romans as a pagan festival, the feast of the Saturnalia, which celebrates the winter solstice-the longest night of the year. On the 3rd of February 313 AD in Milan, Italy, the Roman Emperor Constantine issued an edict giving absolute tolerance to Christianity throughout the Empire. It comes as no surprise, therefore, to find that December 25th was first documented as Christmas Day in 354 AD. Under the Roman Emperor Justinian, it became an official holiday around 550 AD. This constitutes another reason why we celebrate Christmas on that date. However, there is yet another reason. All the astronomical evidence suggests that this date also marked the final appearance of the Christmas Star. It was on 25th December in 2 BC when Jesus was 15 months old, that the Wise Men presented their gifts to the young Messiah. Who these Wise Men were we will investigate shortly.

7 When was Jesus born? Each year at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet, it is disturbing to discover that much of what we have been taught about the Christmas season seems to be more tradition than truth. Most serious Bible students realize that Jesus was probably not born on December 25th. The shepherds had their flocks in open fields, which implies a date prior to October. Furthermore, no competent Roman administrator would require registration involving travel during the season when Judea was generally impassable. If Jesus wasn't born on December 25, just when was he born? Although the Bible doesn't explicitly identify the birthday of Christ, many scholars have developed diverse opinions as to the likely birthday of Jesus. The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus' birth, and therefore the exact date was not preserved in festivals. The year of Jesus' birth is broadly accepted by many as 4 BC, primarily from erroneous conclusions derived from Josephus' recording of an eclipse, assumed to be on March 13, 4 BC, shortly before Herod died. There are a number of problems with this in addition to the fact that it was more likely the eclipse occurred on December 29, 1 B.C. Considerable time elapsed between Jesus' birth and Herod's death since the family fled to Egypt to escape Herod's edict and they didn't return until after Herod's death. Furthermore, Herod died on January 14, 1 BC Tertullian (born about 160 AD) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, placing Jesus' birth at 2 BC. Tertullian also notes that Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, which is consistent with a date of 2 BC. Irenaeus, born about a century after Jesus, also notes that Jesus was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 BC, this also appears to substantiate the birth in 2 BC. Another approach in determining the date of Jesus' birth is from information about John the Baptist. John began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. The minimum age for the ministry was 30. As Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, that was the accession year for Tiberius. If John was born on April 19-20, 2 BC, his 30th birthday would have been April 19-20, 29 AD, or the 15th year of Tiberius. This seems to confirm the 2 B.C. date and, since John was five months older, this also confirms the autumn birth date for Jesus. Elisabeth hid herself for five months and then the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary both Elisabeth's condition and that Mary also would bear a son who would be called Jesus. Mary went "with haste" to visit Elisabeth, who was then in the first week of her sixth month, or the fourth week of December, 3 BC. If Jesus was born 280 days later it would place the date of his birth on September 29, 2 BC.

8 Who were the Three Wise Men? A good question: Matthew (2:1) says that they came from the East, that is east of Judea. Now Judea was a buffer state between the sprawling Roman Empire in the West, and the fabulous Persian Empire of the Parthian Dynasty in the east. Whenever the Persians and Romans clashed militarily, the Persians almost always won. Their crack cavalry units could pin down the Roman legions indefinitely. The Persian Empire also controlled the Silk Route to India and China. The gifts that the Wise Men brought to Jesus, the gold, the frankincense and myrrh were the very best that world trade could offer from this route. As to the identity of the Wise Men, the word that Matthew uses to describe them is Magoi. It was these Magoi, the king makers of their empire, that came to visit Jesus. This delegation of Rulers from Persia penetrated 750 km into Roman territory. These Persians were the finest equestrians in the world. They always rode horses as their means of transport - camels were only used for baggage. Consequently, it was no wonder that Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He had a small army from a foreign power at the gates of Jerusalem - and at a very inconvenient time too. Herod's garrison that normally protected Jerusalem was away helping fight another war. Jerusalem was virtually undefended. Furthermore, the news was not good. These Magoi proclaimed the birth of a contender for Herod's throne. Indeed, they had come to support this child-king, and their army was there to back them. It was a very tense time for Herod, but he played his options very skilfully. As well, there had been a Mesopotamian prophet called Balaam who had foretold the coming of the Star that would herald a Messiah for all the tribes of Israel. It was prophesied that there would be born unto the Jews a King, and that his coming would be heralded by a sign in the heavens in the constellation Virgo.

9 That compels us to find out just what this sign was in the heavens. What was the Star that appeared in the skies of 3 and 2 BC? As we begin this search, we note that the word star had a variety of meanings back then. It could mean anything that blazed, shone or moved across the sky. It could mean an aurora, the sun, moon, or a star. It may mean any strange light in the sky a bolt of lightning, an oddly illuminated cloud, a planet, or grouping of several planets. The two-year time period for visibility automatically eliminates many objects. Meteors are too transitory. Meteor showers only last a few weeks. Novae or unstable stars shine longer, but rarely last two years. When the record is searched, there was only one nova at the time - a faint one in 4 BC. Supernovas last longer and can be visible in broad daylight. But again we are disappointed. Only two supernovae are recorded near the time of the Nativity: one in 134 BC, the other in 173 AD. As we examine Matthew, it becomes apparent that the account requires the star to appear in the eastern sky, move across the starry background, and go before the Magoi to Judea. Only comets, planets, or groupings of planets behave this way. Comets may be visible to the naked eye for 100 days or so. Now a journey to Judea from Persia would take the Wise Men about 6 weeks. Comets would thus be visible long enough for the journey itself. But none last 2 years, and no comets were recorded for the prime dates of 3 and 2 BC. Halley's comet flared in the skies in 11 BC. Another comet swept across the heavens in 4 BC. But both of these were too early. So comets fade as a possibility for the Star. This leaves the option of planets. When we examine the night sky with planets in mind, a series of amazing celestial events occurred. On the 1st August 3 BC the drama began to unfold with Jupiter rising helically in the rays of dawn. On the 13 August Venus and Jupiter stood very close together in the sunrise. On the 18th, Mercury came out of the solar glare, and on September 1st, Mercury and Venus stood 1/3rd degree apart in Leo. These were dramatic events. The astronomers who were based at the Sippar Institute would see an astrological significance in these signs. Essentially, Jupiter, the King planet, had left the Sun, the Father of the Gods, to be conjoined with Venus, the Virgin Mother in the constellation of Leo, which is the symbol for the tribe of Judah in Israel. Furthermore, Mercury, the Messenger of the Gods, had come from the Sun's presence to stand with Venus ( Pic left : A Real photo of a close alignment of Jupiter and Venus in 1999) Then on 14th September 3 BC and 17th February and 8th May in 2 BC, Jupiter the King planet stood next to Regulus the brightest star in Leo, which also represented Royalty. Then came a climax to the display. On June 17th 2 BC, Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in the Solar System, appeared to collide. They stood an Incredible 1/50th degree apart and seemed to fuse into one immense ball of Light. This was an unprecedented event. But that was not all. On 27th August in 2 BC there was a grand meeting of the planets In Virgo. Jupiter and Mars were only 1/7th degree apart and close at hand were Mercury and Venus standing together in the glare of the rising sun.

10 This dramatic sequence of events ending in Virgo qualified for the Star spoken of by the Zend Avesta. But then Jupiter left the other planets in the dawn, and moved westwards. This was the sign the Magoi were waiting for. Jupiter the key player in the Christmas star sequence was leading them towards Judea. And so they set out. From that moment in Mid-November, Jupiter the King planet actually went before them in the sky towards Judea. Six weeks later as the Magoi checked the pre-dawn sky, Jupiter was on the Meridian due south of Jerusalem. It would appear directly over Bethlehem 65 degrees above the southern horizon. A dramatic representation of how the alignment looked with constellations added. Cr. Clay Frost /MSNBC Just at that time, the final event occurred. Jupiter had reached its furthest point westward, and no longer moved against the background store. It actually 'Stood Over' where the young child was. Incredibly, on that some day, the Sun was at its furthest point south for the year, and stood still in the heavens (for that is what the word 'solstice' means). Jupiter was again in the constellation Virgo as the Zend Avesta predicted, when this occurred on 25th December in 2 BC. It was indeed a unique sequence of events that had landed the Magoi at Bethlehem. But wait! There is one more important detail. Matthew (2:9-11) implies that something was marking the very house that Jesus had been living in for 15 months. The planets and stars can never mark a single building. What is the answer to this Biblical conundrum? Throughout the Scriptures, God has consistently appeared to His servants in what has often been called the Shekinah Glory Cloud. In Genesis it is described as looking like a twisting blazing, shining object at the entrance to the Garden of Eden. For the Magoi, this oddly Illuminated cloud also qualified for the word 'star'. This same Glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds just before the angels announced Messiah's birth to them. Similarly, when the Persian Magoi arrived near Bethlehem in the early dawn, the Shekinah would be seen standing above and marking the very house where Messiah was. The Magoi would Immediately recognize this as a sign of Messiah's presence.

11 They had seen the blazing planetary orb in the sky. Then the key planet, Jupiter had led them to Judea and was now poised above Bethlehem. Finally, with the sign of the Shekinah Glory Cloud standing over the house, the Magoi from Persia would assuredly know that their quest had ended. For them, they had found the One of Whom the Star of David speaks - the Messiah of the Tribes of Israel, Who was to become the saviour of the world. So if the Wise Men story is true, and they saw the conjunction before sunrise in the east, then they could "follow" it, knowing they had to travel east. During the day they couldn t see it, but they would have known that was the right direction to go. From The Book of Luke THE CHRISTMAS STORY In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savoir, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me

12 blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.

13 When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." The child's father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. (Extracted from Luke 1:26-2:40 New International Version) Some Obvious Inconsistencies As significant as the Star of Bethlehem is to the mysticism of the Nativity, it is only mentioned once in the Bible, and that is in the Book of Matthew. Luke, whose account of the nativity is far more detailed than that of Matthew, doesn t mention the Star, or the Magi, or wise men, who came from the east, drawn by the Star. He also makes no mention of a fearful Herod, slaughtering all male children in Bethlehem aged two and under, and the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt as a result. Matthew, on the other hand, makes no mention of a trip to Joseph s ancestral home, Bethlehem or the decree from Caesar Augustus that brought them there. He also doesn t mention a crowded inn, a manger, or angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields. Yet the best information we have regarding the Nativity comes from Matthew and Luke. The Gospel according to Matthew was written between the years AD; Luke wrote his Gospel between AD. Both agree that Jesus was born, in Bethlehem, during the last years of the reign of Herod the Great, that the birth was announced by a heavenly messenger, and that his actual home town was Nazareth. The discrepancies in their two accounts are not surprising, when one takes into account the fact that they wrote in an age of oral history and myth, and without the standards of science, history, or journalism that we take for granted today. In fact, it could be said that those standards as regarding certain forms of modern media have not advanced at all. That two people, neither of whom were eyewitnesses, have different recollections of a story that was told to them verbally, should not surprise us in the least; this same thing happens today only too often.

14 What Is the Mystery of The Star There have been a variety of suggestions as to the identity of the Christmas Star recorded in Matthew 2. Luke records that the "Angel of the Lord came upon them and glory of the Lord shone round about" the shepherds. In Old Testament terminology that usually referred to a manifestation of the Shekinah. Consider it likely that the Shekinah was again manifested over the house in Bethlehem where Jesus was staying as a 15 month old boy when the Wise Men came into the town after their evening observation of the Star. However, to attribute the whole Christmas Star sequence that guided the Wise Men from Persia to Bethlehem to the Shekinah does not quite fit all the facts. First, the Star appeared in Persia and led the Wise Men to Jerusalem and also appeared to them there. It seems the Star attracted no great interest in Judea or Jerusalem. Consequently, its significance to the population in that area was minimal. They may casually have noted an astronomical display but have attached no particular significance to it. Only the Wise Men were attracted by the phenomena. There is, however, textual evidence that it was in fact an astronomical object rather than the Shekinah. Ref: Barry and Helen Setterfield Web Site: SEE FOR YOURSELF Watch An Animation Of The Xmas Star Alignment? Here is a presentation Shown is the conjunctions during 2 and 3 BC. The June 17 conjunction is the last one shown; that of Venus with Jupiter near the star Regulus. Cr. Clay Frost /MSNBC

15 Questions, Puzzles, Conclusions The date for the Nativity also fixes the time the Christmas Star appeared and the subsequent visit of the Wise Men. But again - who were they, where did they come from, and why were they interested in Messiah? 1. Where did the wise men came from: Matthew 2:1 says they came from the East - that is east of Judea. Judea was a buffer state between the sprawling Roman Empire in the West and the fabulous Persian Empire of the Parthian Dynasty in East. (2). The Persian Empire largely controlled the Silk Route to India and China. The gifts of the Wise Men were the best that world trade could offer. Conclusion: The Wise Men came from the Persian Empire east of Judea. 3. Who were the wise men? (1). Parthian Dynasty ruled Persia through a King and Megistanes (roughly equivalent to our Houses of Parliament) plus Advisers. (2). Lower House members called the Sophoi or Wise Ones; Upper House members called the Magoi or Great Ones. Matthew calls them Magoi. CONCLUSION: The Wise Men were Magoi - the King Makers of the Persian Empire. 4. How did they travel? (1). This Delegation of Rulers from Persia penetrated 750 Km into Roman territory. They would be escorted by their armed cavalry units. (2). Persia was the home of the finest cavalry units in the world. They were called the Cataphracti and consistently won out against the Roman Legions. (3). The Persians always rode horses; camels were only used for baggage. CONCLUSION: The Magoi rode horses and were accompanied by crack cavalry units for protection. 5. Why was Herod troubled? (1). He had a small army from a foreign power at the gates of Jerusalem (2). Most of his Garrison that normally guarded Jerusalem were away fighting the Homonadenaian War. Jerusalem was virtually undefended. (3). The Magoi proclaimed the birth of a contender for Herod's Throne whom they intended to support. CONCLUSION: Jerusalem was undefended against a foreign army which announced the birth of Messiah Who was to rule Israel from Herod's throne.

16 6. Why did the wise men come? (1). They had Daniel's prophecy indicating the time of Messiah's Birth. (2). They had the prophecy of Balaam about Messiah and His Star. CONCLUSION: The Wise Men came to Judea because the bible of their religion prophesied that there would be born unto the Jews a King Messiah and that His coming would be heralded by a sign in the heavens. 7. What was the star the wise men followed? (1). Note that the word 'star' had a wide variety of applications. The various possibilities are discussed and eliminated. (2). Meteors and meteor showers such as the Leonids though impressive last a maximum of a few weeks. (3). A nova or unstable star is longer lasting. The only nova recorded at the time was a faint one in 4 BC. They rarely last 2 years. (4). By contrast, a supernova has been seen in broad daylight and can last several years. The Wise Men claimed to Herod that the star they followed was visible for 2 years. A. Supernovae and fixed stars can be used for North-South guidance. B. Certain stars pass directly overhead at given locations every day. C. For this form of guidance the star must pass overhead in Judea. D. The Zend Avesta prophesied that Messiah's Star would be in Virgo. E. Virgo does not pass overhead in Judea. F. Only two supernovae recorded near the Nativity: 134 BC and 173 AD. CONCLUSION: The Christmas Star was not a meteor-shower, a nova or supernova. NOTE: The account requires the star to appear in the eastern sky, move across the starry background. and go before the Wise Men to Judea. Only comets, planets or groupings of planets behave this way. 8. The two prime candidates for the Christmas Star. (1). Comets: A. They travel through the background stars at the rate of I or 2 degrees per day. B. They may be visible to the naked eye for 100 days or so. C. A journey to Judea would take the Wise Men about 6 weeks. Comets are thus visible long enough for the journey. But... D. No comets were recorded in 3/2 BC. Certainly none lasted 2 years.

17 (2). Planets and planet groupings: A. The motion of planets against the background stars is discussed. When two or more planets or a planet and star appear to stand close to each other in the sky, it is called a conjunction. B. The triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in 7 BC is detailed. The planets were about 2 times the diameter of the Moon apart. This is an average apparent separation for such phenomena. C. In February of 6 BC Jupiter, Saturn and Mars stood together in a rather loose triangle in the western sky. The Sippar Institute of Astrology in Babylonia recorded these and the following events. D. On the 1st August 3 BC Jupiter rose helically in the rays of the dawn. On August 13 at 5 am Jupiter and Venus stood a quarter of a degree apart in the sunrise glare. That is less than half diameter of Moon. E. On 18th August 3 BC Mercury came out of the solar glare. On September 1st, with sun in Virgo, Mercury and Venus stood 1/3rd degree apart in Leo. F. On 14th September 3 BC, Jupiter stood in conjunction with Regulus. This was repeated on 17th February and 8th May in 2 BC. G. On June 17th, 2 BC Jupiter and Venus 'joined up' - they stood 1/50th of a degree apart. The two brightest planets in the sky appeared to fuse into one immense blaze of light - an unprecedented happening. H. On 27th August 2 BC a grand conjunction of planets occurred. Jupiter and Mars were 1/7th degree apart with Mercury and Venus together just I degree away - in the rays of the sunrise in Virgo. I. Jupiter then moved westwards. By mid-november it had passed the zenith and was shining in the western sky-and still moving west. At this point the Wise Men set out. J. Six weeks later, from Jerusalem, the Wise Men saw Jupiter due south on the meridian above Bethlehem. At that time Jupiter had reached its furthest point west, came to a halt and stood still against the background stars in the sky 65 degrees above Bethlehem. It was December 25th. CONCLUSION: This extremely unusual set of events in 3 and 2 BC was probably the Christmas Star. Everything seems to fit the Biblical account. The universe and our Solar System are governed by mathematical laws which we have understood since the early 1600's. That is when Kepler puzzled out the order of the heavens... the planetary motions and their seemingly ordered, almost guided, motions across the night sky. 9. Do these events recur? The universe and our Solar System are governed by mathematical laws which we have understood since the early 1600's. That is when Kepler puzzled out the Three Laws of Planetary Motion and Newton refined them. We now know that the Solar System moves with amazing regularity, like a great clock. For this reason, much of what we see overhead is quite predictable. The Sun always rises, after all. But this does not mean that the events of the Star, while mathematically predictable, will all come together again and again.

18 Christ's Star, described in the Book of Matthew, correlates precisely with celestial events we know occurred in 2 and 3 B.C. But the story of the Star is a series of events, and this affects statistical probabilities. Any one of the events might well recur - some more frequently, but some only once in hundreds of years. Apart from the Star, this complete series of events has never happened while man has observed. They will not stack up this way again in any span of time meaningful to us. What might happen in 10,000 years or a million has little bearing on us. But, most important, these celestial events correlate with events here on Earth. This is the real point. This improbable series of events in the sky correlates perfectly with the birth and death of a man who claimed to be the Messiah, Savoir of the Human Race. The probability of this recurring is nil. 10. Is any of this really new? Yes, which is why this story matters. Knowledge often advances in increments. But it may also advance in leaps of insight. Both are happening here. The facts, of course, are two thousand years old. But the story is now coming into fresh and startling focus. Any researcher will tell you he stands on the shoulders of those who came before. The Star story is built upon the work of Kepler, Newton, Sinnott, Hoehner, Finegan, Martin, Humphreys, Waddington and numerous others. Their discoveries are all the more remarkable when seen together, as a whole. A new and more complete story of the Star takes shape. 11. Does the timeline of the Star conflict with the Sign of Jonah? No, it does not. But let's put the issue in sharp focus. Jesus said: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12.39,40 ESV). The timeline of the Star follows conventional understanding, that Jesus was killed on a Friday and rose from the dead the following Sunday. How can that be "three days and three nights" in the earth? This question arises from a difference between our modern culture and Christ's ancient one. Jesus was certainly a most unusual person, but he was still a flesh-and-blood man born into a mid-eastern culture of two thousand years ago. He was born Jewish, and he lived, thought and spoke in forms rooted in his time, place and culture. This is why so much of his teaching incorporates events common to the experience of the people living around him - he spoke appropriately to his audience. In the Jewish idiom of Christ's day and earlier, the phrase a "day and a night" could be used to refer to any portion of what we moderns think of as a 24-hour day. Examples of this are found in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. There are other Old Testament examples of this, but let's fast forward to the New Testament. Did Jesus use this idiom? Yes he did. As we've seen, he spoke of being in the earth for three days and three nights. Yet, he also speaks to his disciples: As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed. (Matthew 17.22,23, ESV) Jesus tells them he will be raised on the third day, not the fourth. He is counting a portion of a modern 24-hour day as a "day." When we are aware of cultural differences, problems

19 understanding the Bible often disappear. The birth of Jesus was announced to shepherds in the fields with their flocks. Does this fix the announcement to a certain season of the year? Not really. In the Mediterranean mid-east, flocks might be found at pasture almost any time of year, weather permitting. The chronology of the Star may imply that Jesus was born in September or June. Either is consistent with flocks being in the field. In September, the average daytime high in Bethlehem is in the mid-80's, Fahrenheit. Lows are in the mid-60's in the wee hours of the morning. It is normal to run flocks in these temperatures. Of course, June is warmer. Even in the dead of Winter and at 2,550 feet elevation, it never freezes in Bethlehem. 12.The Star chronology suggests Jesus died at around 35 years of age. Wasn't he 33 when he died? There is nothing in the Bible that compels the conclusion that Jesus died at age 33. That age is a traditional one many of us have heard over the years, much as we have seen nativity scenes and Christmas plays which include the Magi visiting Christ's natal manger. In reality, the Magi did not visit Jesus while he was in the manger, and Christ likely was not 33 when he died. (According to the Bible, the Magi visited Jesus when he was a toddler living in a house). The origin of the 33-year-old tradition is probably a loose reading of Luke's gospel account. Luke was a Greek physician and an absolute stickler for accuracy. Luke has astonished many a critical analyst when his descriptions of events and titles of governmental rulers, though unexpected, turned out to be precisely correct. Luke tells us that Jesus began his ministry when he was "approximately" 30 years of age. This, plus the three annual Passovers recorded by John in his gospel has probably resulted in the assumption that Jesus died aged 33. But Luke never said Jesus was aged 30 when he began his ministry. The assumption that Jesus was aged 30 is only that, an assumption, and one which Luke used care not to adopt. Ref : The Star of Bethlehem Common Errors in "Star of Bethlehem" Story "We saw his star in the east" can be translated to mean either "we saw his star while we were in the east," or "we saw his star (as it rose) in the eastern sky," and is ambiguous. The Authorized King James version of this passage in Matthew reads "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." And later, "they departed, and, lo, the star which they saw in the east " This has been interpreted to mean either that the star was in the eastern part of the sky or that the wise men were in the eastern part of the world when they saw it, but the actual situation is not so ambiguous. The Greekphrase, "en te anatole" simply means "as it rose" or "at its rising" which of course is always in the eastern sky, and does not refer to the location of the observer. Some authors interpret the phrase to mean that the magi observed the star's predawn heliacal rising with the sun, and although this may be the case it is an assumption not contained in "en te anatole."

20 The error is the fault of mistranslation by the committee of scholars working under the sponsorship of King James of England, and has been corrected in the New English Bible to read "We observed the rising of His star " and "the star which they had seen at its rising " Both translations of the Bible agree that the magi came from the east of Jerusalem, probably from Persia. The "star" was a triple conjunction of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. This conjunction, however, could not be seen because the planets were too close to the sun. This statement contains two separate errors. A triple conjunction is, by definition, three consecutive conjunctions between the same two planets (or a planet and a star) and happens when the nearer of the two goes through its retrograde loop in front of the more distant. Three planets cannot be said to be in conj unction unless they have precisely the same longitude (or right ascension), and this never happens. The grouping of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn is more properly called a massing of the planets. There was a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 B.C. followed by a massing of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in 6 B.C. The massing was clearly visible. Mars and Saturn were in conjunction on February 20, 6 B.C. when the longitudes of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the sun were 351.2, 358.6, 352.0, and degrees respectively as interpolated from Tuckerman's Planetary, Lunar, and Solar Positions. (Mars and Saturn were at equal longitude 12 hours later but had set by then; the numbers given here are for 7:00 p.m., Babylon time.) The sun was 21 degrees west of the westernmost two planets and 29 degrees west of Jupiter. All three planets were still visible above the horizon after the end of evening twilight. Robert Victor of Abrams Planetarium clearly saw the Mars/Saturn conjunction of February 20, 1966, even though these planets were much closer to the sun than in 6 B.C. and were observed from a higher latitude than the Near East. ** Incidentally, surprisingly few of us now alive will see another Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, and none of us will see the next triple conjunction. The next single conjunction occurs on December 21, 2020 and will be visible in the evening sky. The last triple conjunction happened in 1980, but the next will not be until During the years around Christ's birth (8-1 B.C.) there were no comets or novae seen. If we include within the period when Christ might have been born the years 5 and 4 B.C., it is incorrect to state that no comets or novae were seen. William's Comet Catalogue of 1871 identifies two -- one in 5 B.C. and a second in 4 B.C. Both are described in detail in Chapter 7 of David Hughes' book The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer's Confirmation. The comet of 5 B.C. was first seen between March 10 and April 27, and was visible for 70 or more days. It was a "hut" comet, also called a "sweeping star" or "broom star," and had a tail or rays. It was seen in Capricornus and there is no mention of motion. It may have been a nova, but the description best fits a comet. Incidentally, older references state that Halley's Comet was seen in 11 B.C., but modern calculations identify it with one seen for 56 days from August to October of 12 B.C. Christ was born in the spring because that is the only time of the year when shepherds are out in the fields watching their sheep.

21 At first this might seem a useful clue for limiting the time of year when Christ was born, but it is probably of no real value. Shepherds are in the fields with their sheep during most of the year except the rainy winter months when night-time temperatures average in the 40s and snow is not uncommon. Even so, there is no guarantee that the shepherds were not out in inclement weather if there was reason for it. And some sheep, the "wilderness flocks," remained out all year long, while sheep used in temple sacrifices were watched over all the time. In short, the shepherds give us no reliable information about the time of the nativity. Can the existence of God be proven? Yes, if we can agree on what constitutes evidence. Reaching a shared understanding of what constitutes evidence is a critical first step. But no one can be forced to believe anything they do not choose to believe. Some people feel that if the Bible provides data about an event, such as the Star, and that data is shown to be accurate, this constitutes evidence of the Bible's accuracy. Other people start with a conviction that the Bible is not accurate, and they will not accept anything as evidence of its accuracy. Some people believe that Elvis Presley is not dead. Others believe that the Holocaust did not occur. They will not accept anything as evidence which contradicts their views. Not even photographs. If one adopts standards of evidence and proof comparable to those used in daily life, the existence of God is obvious to most people. That is why virtually the entire human race believes that God exists. The existence of God is denied primarily by people who have trained themselves to dismiss common lines of evidence. Some believe that Christ died on a day other than Friday. Can the star signs be reconciled with these points of view? Strong minds have considered Christ's Friday death. While there is good agreement on the point, there are also strong minority opinions. These minority opinions are usually based upon the Sign of Jonah, the Jewish festival calendar and/or the High Sabbath. Some contend that Christ died on Wednesday. Others are persuaded he died on Thursday. These points of view are based upon earnest analysis from a single angle and are not to be dismissed lightly. However, what happened in the sky cannot be adjusted to accommodate argument or theological reasoning. Events in the sky are simple facts. They cannot be bumped a day or two. The lunar eclipse mentioned by Joel and Peter did not happen on Wednesday or Thursday. It happened on Friday. An obvious solution to this conflict is to ignore the celestial events in favour of one's preferred analysis. The other solution is to re-analyse one's position to include what happened in the sky. What caused the darkness at noon on the Day of the Cross? The darkness was not an ordinary solar eclipse. A solar eclipse cannot occur on the day of a lunar eclipse, as the Sun and Moon are on opposite 'sides' of the Earth. A lunar eclipse is Earth's shadow, seen on the Moon. Here are some interesting clues which support plate tectonics as the cause of the darkness at noon. * Israel is in an active sheering subduction zone. * There was tectonic activity on the Day of the Cross, that is, an earthquake strong enough to break up boulders. * The Levant is studded with volcanoes (Israel's Golan Heights is a string of extinct volcanoes).

22 * Joel predicted something like billowing clouds of smoke, which Peter told a hostile crowd on the day of Pentecost: "You've seen!" * Particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere (an aerosol) tends to create red-coloured lunar eclipses (blood moons), which Peter also asserted his audience had seen. So, one possible explanation of the darkness is a plume of volcanic ash, which would be consistent with these factual clues. However, until we can develop historical evidence of a candidate eruption, volcanism remains an interesting hypothesis which is not ready for prime time. How could a planet or star lead the Magi to a specific house? Objects at astronomical distances cannot literally point at or selectively illuminate a specific house. However, the idea that the Star pointed the Magi to a specific house is not in the Bible. It is an idea which has been added to the Biblical narrative. How could the Magi see Virgo when she is clothed in the Sun? Constellations are not visible during daylight hours. However, because the movements of celestial objects are regular, students of the stars can know where objects are positioned, even during daylight hours. The new moon was just visible. Cr. John Mosley - Griffith Observatory David Reneke s Reply to the Critics This is in reply to the large number of inquiries I ve had on the issue of the fabled Xmas Star. As I ve said, I didn t intend to validate anyone s birth date. The story was simply an ambitious scientific exercise, using modern astronomical software, to go back and reconstruct the night sky of biblical times to either validate or refute the existence of a Xmas Star. What it actually implied was not tantamount to my research, and neither do I claim my work was unique. I simply followed on from previous speculation and investigation from other similarly confused souls (err, no pun intended) like myself attempting to puzzle out another fact or fantasy story. We take too many things for granted today because we ve become complacent. Here s a tip question everything, it s called curiosity and it s what made us stop chiselling round wheels out of square blocks of stone and start building spaceships. I have a simple philosophy. Fill what is empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches The chronological baseline I used was Matthew s version of the bible, the first book of the New Testament. Among all the conjecture, confusion, hyperbole, and general misinformation it s the only one that has all the key players assembled in the same place in (generally) the same time. For the die-hards out there, here s some of the text. Oh, and don t shoot me, I m only the messenger, OK?

23 "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him... After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." Matthew 2 The Christmas Star, or the Star of Bethlehem, is mentioned only in chapter two of the book of Matthew. But this story of a bright star leading the magi, or wise men, to the birth of Jesus Christ has become an iconic symbol of the Christmas season. It sounds fantastic, and even has miraculous or divine overtones, but it could have happened. The French scientist, Descartes once stated, "In order to reach the truth it is necessary, once in awhile, to put everything in doubt as far as possible. This rule seems to be very applicable to the discussion of the evolution of Christianity in our tragic time. I realised this story would become an emotive issue. It cuts to the very core of our existence and questions our very place in this amazing and complex Universe. I ve received hundreds of s from all around the world on this story with mixed and insightful sentiments. I ve been featured on some of the biggest programs in the world, from a live spot on Romanian TV complete with interpreters (really!) and dozens of global radio stations to prime spots on major U.S. networked breakfast programs, like GMA Good Morning America. The number of websites my story has appeared on is countless. I chuckled at a few abridged versions one has me as a research team leader using complex computer software (its Starry Night guys) and another claims I m trying to change the day Xmas is celebrated to June 17. Oh, I almost forgot the one where I declared Jesus to be a Gemini! Go figure. I must say, in researching this story, I m surprised how there is no absolute, undisputed record of Jesus birth date and the date of his death. Indeed, many accounts place his existence in the 2nd, 4th and even 6th decades BC! There is so much disagreement and general discord among students of the Bible about everything from actual dates key figures lived to whether in fact they existed at all. For instance, the biblical Magi. There is, I believe, no mention at all of December 25 in the Bible in connection with Jesus. Apparently it is an arbitrary figure laid down by the church, perhaps a dozen centuries ago, to celebrate or align with various religious festivals. I m not a theologian, I m not even scholastically gifted when it comes to biblical prophecy or the strict application of biblical verse, but I have my beliefs. In trying to unravel history the more simple anything is, the less liable it is to be disordered in my view. For arguably the most important person who ever lived, and someone who started a column of progress that still exists today with billions of followers, nobody can tell me with absolute unchallenged certainty when he walked the earth. It s sad for I want it to be true! For most it is but I just wanted some little bit of proof can t blame me for that, I m human. This type of retrospective investigation, archaeo-astronomy if you will, is a minefield so badly populated with hidden traps, turns and disguised meanings it would be impossible for anyone to get to the truth. There are simply too many loose ends! OK, so what do we do with all this? So what if certain dates don t relate to certain figures. It s still a great story. We should stop right here and remember the reason we celebrate as we do this time of the year and ponder over the meaning of it all. I guess, for those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who don t understand no explanation is possible. Visit Dave at his website

24 The Christmas Star on DVD Do astronomy and history support the Bible? If you enjoyed this E-Book you ll LOVE the DVD! The traditions around the birth of Jesus often obscure the actual facts. What happened historically and astronomically was much more impressive than our traditions indicate. A brilliant star appeared that struck fear into the heart of Herod and all Jerusalem. Why? What was it? Was it real? What happened in the heavens was so remarkable the Roman world thought the heavens themselves were applauding Caesar. And the date of Jesus' birth? Between the Bible and historical events it can be determined to within a few days. Was the Xmas Star REAL? Watch this DVD in the comfort of your own home and you be the judge. You don t need to understand the Bible or know anything about the scriptures! You ll be taken step by step as the search for the mysterious Star unfolds You ll be amazed at what you ll find out most people are. Gwyneth, Wales, UK: I have just watched a remarkable DVD it is called `The Christmas star`. It shows through scripture, history and astronomy proof of the Christmas story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and my husband, who can be a bit skeptical about these matters, was amazed at the depth of study and accuracy of facts in this DVD which when put together seem to have dispelled some of his doubts. I would recommend anyone to take a look at it. Doug McIntosh: Just wanted to send a note of thanks after having had a chance to view the entire Christmas Star video. It is absolutely wonderful, so packed with information. I'm sure I'll watch it again and again Tim Barnhouse, Pastor North Mill Creek Baptist Church: A very enlightening study that every Christian needs to see... The authors do a great job of stripping away traditionalism, and replacing it with the truth of Scripture. I will be using this DVD for our Studies. Don t put it off - Buy It Now! Click here to order securely from Dave s Astro E Shop * Or by visiting the website

25 Can Astronomy Software Really Be Used To View The Skies Of The Past & The Future? YES! I use the internationally recognised Starry Night programs. One of the nicest things about Starry Night software is that it can serve as a bridge to people who aren't quite as interested in astronomy or have little knowledge of the subject or those who just want to check out the Xmas Star event just like it was happening NOW! In fact, users of the software package Starry Night can go back in time and view all of these planet configurations for themselves on their home computers, just like I did, and try to judge which of these might have appeared the most impressive to the Magi. You can even go forward in time and see an upcoming Solare or Lunar Eclipse years, decades before it happens! Oh, I almost forgot it s also great to use with your telescope to navigate the night sky. I used this Starry Night software to go back in time and recreate the 17June 2 B.C. night sky for this book. Anyone can do it. Really!!! Yes, even you. Starry Night Pro 6.3 Astronomy Software Turn your computer into a digital observatory ** Starry Night Pro Plus 6.3 Astronomy Software Advanced features - tour the cosmos like never before Advanced features let you tour the cosmos like never before NO, I don t sell the software disc BUT you can buy it from this link NOW. Or by visiting Dave s website