In this dvd, larson presents his journey to determine what the star of bethlehem was. It might seem churlish to dissect such an enduring image of christmas as the star of bethlehem, but a quiet astronomical debate has been bubbling away for decades. Or, perhaps it was jupiter alone in the constellation aries, according to a newer thesis that got new york times headlines a few years ago. Learn about all the theories in a free webcast today. How the planet of kings created a powerful visual effect that looked like a spectacular celestial dance. What cosmic light could have guided the three wise men to the newborn baby jesus 2,000 years ago. The wise men were likely accomplished greek astrologers, watching the stars for signs of a kings birth. The faithful sing about the star of wonder that guided the wise men to a manger in the little town of bethlehem. Dec 21, 2011 the creation museum planetarium program on the star of bethlehem that is offered at the museum around christmas time including during the christmas town events discusses the star, teaches creationist astronomy, deals with some misconceptions such as the actual number of wise men, and gives some solid biblical teaching about the birth of. And all of this information came from the amazing documentary, the star of bethlehem. But the significance attributed to these phenomena relies on. Weintraubs article can astronomy explain the biblical star of bethlehem.
So the christmas star need not be a star in the modern technical sense of the word. And with this interpretation one easily solves the astronomy puzzles, enumerated in prof. The shows typically suggest that the christmas star was either a comet, a conjunction of bright planets, or maybe even a supernova. What is wrong with rick larsons star of bethlehem dvd. It takes someone, not a scientist or astronomer, someone just curious enough to do the research with software that anyone can buy to give a plausible explanation. Dec 21, 2018 so the christmas star need not be a star in the modern technical sense of the word. The modern search for the star of bethlehem began with johannes kepler imperial astronomer for rudolph ii of germany, who shortly before christmas in 1603 observed a conjunction pairing of jupiter with saturn from his observatory in prague. Any luminous point will do, and so we need to consider this in our analysis. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the star of bethlehem. Dec 18, 2016 and with this interpretation one easily solves the astronomy puzzles, enumerated in prof. In the traditional artistic representations of the nativity of jesus of nazareth, there is a reference to an astronomical event, commonly known as the star of bethlehem.
Rick larson to show what he found when he searched for clues about the star of bethlehem. Dec 25, 2015 the star was a sign that inspired, for instance, the magi to travel to judea to honor the newborn king of the jews. Dec 19, 2016 was the star of bethlehem a real astronomical event. What was the star of bethlehem astronomy at bellaonline. This is the star that the wise men from the east followed to jerusalem in the nativity story of the gospel of matthew. Nicholl makes the compelling case that the star of bethlehem could only have been a great comet. My problem with this is the leap of logic from the star being a. The star of bethlehem, or christmas star, appears only in the nativity story of the gospel of. Yet, its amazing how a simple archaeoastronomy software program can comfirm that the unlikely is indeed a fact. My problem with this is the leap of logic from the star being a real event to it actually signaling the birth of jesus. As the atheists and agnostics try to explain the celestial sky, the dvd reveals its our creator and his reason why.
My christmas gift was a dvd of larsons the bethlehem star. Just one second stellarium and the star of bethlehem. The celestial prelude, the star of bethlehem and the great pyramid. However, if you consult planetarium software, youll see that they are wrong. Reprinted with permission from astronomy and the bible there have been many attempts to explain the christmas star scientifically, and three will be mentioned here. The text doesnt say that the star was bright or the star led the magi to jerusalem. For many doubters, the account of the star is easily dismissed as myth. In my view the lunar eclipse at the crucifixion something that might appear to be tacked onto the talk is almost more significant than the identification of the bethlehem star. If the aries astrological explanation for the birth of jesus occurring in the spring of 6 b. To understand the star of bethlehem, we need to think like the three wise men.
On a personal note, larsons dvd was my initiation into the debate regarding the identity of the bethlehem star. For millennia, believers, scoffers and the curious have wondered at the biblical account of the star. Motivated by this star in the east, they first traveled to. Ive studied god as our creator, but this proof is the best by far. This debate requires one very big assumption that the story of the star and the journey is true.
This is an astonishing and compelling use of modern astronomical tools to confirm events surrounding jesus birth and crucifixion. And it turns out there is historical and scientific evidence. Star of bethlehem takes you to the time of mystery, in a. One of the classic images of the christmas holiday is that of three wise men or kings traveling to. Evidence emerges for star of bethlehems reality christian. Each holiday season, planetariums present their star of wonder show, which offers astronomical explanations for one of the most famous stars of allthe star of bethlehem, or christmas star. Yet another possible explanation for the star of bethlehem is the threetimes passing of jupiter and saturn between may and december in 7 bc. The astronomy is the centerpiece of larsons presentation, and the connections he draws are breathtaking. How the planet of kings created a powerful visual effect that looked like a.
There are those who argue with admittedly good reason that the assumption is wrong and that we should not try to do historical astronomy with the birth narratives. One of the classic images of the christmas holiday is that of three wise men or kings traveling to bethlehem, over which hangs a brilliant star. Star of bethlehem takes you to the time of mystery, in a planetarium show produced by the houston museum of natural science that answers these questions and more, as audiences search for a celestial object that could have led the wise men to the christ child. Dec 23, 2016 what cosmic light could have guided the three wise men to the newborn baby jesus 2,000 years ago. The christmas star, or star of bethlehem, that drew the magi, or wise men, to the birthplace of jesus has long been debated. To do this, larson used starry night, software that runs on virtually. There they meet king herod of judea, and ask where the king of the jews. Approaching the star from somewhat of a skeptics viewpoint, presenter rick larson uses biblical and historical clues with some sophisticated astronomy software to take you through what was happening in the sky the night of jesus birth. The star of bethlehem was probably a triple conjunction of saturn and jupiter in the constellation of pisces, the significance of which was only obvious to. With the christmas season here, the topic always comes up in various publications of conjecturing what astronomical or astrological event of the time could align with the historical accounting of the story.
The text implies the star of bethlehem appeared only to the magi in the east most likely the area of persia, or modernday iran. Lawyer and professor uses the bible alongside history and science to verify existence of the christmas phenomenon. The star of bethlehem is a 2007 documentary by frederick a. Larson used the starry night astronomy computer program along with an article written by astronomer craig. The star of bethlehem is certainly a story as is most of the bible, first and foremost. A popular explanation for the star of bethlehem is that it was actually a conjunction of jupiter and venus that presumably occurred on june 17, 2bc see in other words, in the evening hours of that day, jupiter and venus appeared so close together in the sky to observers in the middle east that they were visually indistinguishable. Bright stars top christmas trees in christian homes around much of the world.
Australian astronomer dave reneke used complex computer software to chart the. Recent advances in knowledge of the stars and planets have given us a. Or simply an inspired idea to emphasize the spiritual importance of the story. Jesus birth the star of bethlehem truth in scripture. The story of the star in the east omeone once observed, the universe is composed of stories, not atoms. Below is a precise illustration, generated by software, of how these celestial.
Dec 21, 2016 can astronomy explain the biblical star of bethlehem. Dec 24, 2002 reprinted with permission from astronomy and the bible there have been many attempts to explain the christmas star scientifically, and three will be mentioned here. The star of bethlehem and the work of a scholar on the relationship between science and faith. Read evidence emerges for star of bethlehems reality and more breaking christian news headlines from around the world.
Fishtank mediashow marquee stellarium worldwide telescope. As we celebrated epiphany january 6th, 2019, on the 12th day of christmas, 2018, i once again found myself wondering about the marvelous star of bethlehem the bright star that led the three magi, wise kings of the east, to travel by camel a thousand miles or more to. In a dream, they are warned not to return to jerusalem, so they leave for their own country by another route. One of the topics on the biblical astronomy of the birth of christ that makes our approach to this pivotal point in history unique, concerns the coma supernova that ive entitled the general sign of the celestial prelude. I thought it would be fun for those of us that like to conjecture around this to have a thread on it. Its unique story, told here by astronomer craig chester, was. The legacy of the magi kindle edition by molnar, michael r download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Cosmos and culture if nothing else, the story of the star of bethlehem tells us of a time when looking up to the skies in awe and wonder was part. These events present us with our first astronomy puzzle of the first christmas. Anything that offers us new insight and the key to understanding scripture usually deserves to be put on the shelf with all the other wacko conspiracy theories. It is a mystery and a puzzle, involving not only theology and astronomy, but also history and even astrology. Larson started his journey when he could not reconcile. By the signs and constellations of the primeval astronomy, and the legends connected with them, interpreted as we have been contemplating them in these lectures his book.
Some people have suggested that the christmas star was a supernova. Dec 10, 2008 mr reneke says the wise men probably interpreted it as the sign they had been waiting for, and they followed the star to christs birthplace in a stable in bethlehem, as described in the bible. Experts weigh in on whether the gospel account of jesuss birth, including the wise men who were guided by a star in the east, has any. Rick larson has made the star of bethlehem documentary, which suggests that revelation 12 is a record of what the magi saw.
Mr reneke says the wise men probably interpreted it as the sign they had been waiting for, and they followed the star to christs birthplace in a stable in bethlehem, as described in the bible. Dec 24, 2016 the story of the three wise men who followed the star of bethlehem to find the baby jesus is an enduring part of the christmas story. Real star of bethlehem,astroarchaeology,astronomy,astrology. Our process of elimination has knocked out meteors, comets and novae as candidates.
Follow the star of bethlehem as the wise men followed it. Using astronomy software, and an article written by astronomer craig chester based on the work of ernest martin, larson thinks all nine characteristics of the star of bethlehem are found in events that took place in the skies of 32 bc. After seven years research in field astronomy western astrology i locatedphenomenal star which, i am certain, historical star bethlehem. The creation museum planetarium program on the star of bethlehem that is offered at the museum around christmas time including during the christmas town events discusses the star, teaches creationist astronomy, deals with some misconceptions such as the actual number of wise men, and gives some solid biblical teaching about the birth of. This documentary was the reason for the research behind the book the star of bethlehem and babylonian astrology astronomy and revelation 12 reveal what the magi saw.
The celestial prelude, the star of bethlehem and the great. There is no biblical record of anyone else observing the star of bethlehem. Larson used the starry night astronomy computer program along with an article written by astronomer craig chester. Moreover, he claims that the star was a natural event, and claims to have used astronomy software to identify the specific event. An evaluation of the star of bethlehem dvd answers in genesis. The star of bethlehem is an excellent example of an event that occurs right at the intersection of christianity and science, in a world created by a god who chose to institute natural laws but who nevertheless continues to carry out his own purposes. In a recent cnn story on jesus the mystery of the star of bethlehem may have. Astronomers theory of the star of bethlehem youtube. The star appears only in the nativity story of the gospel of matthew, where astrologers from the east are inspired by the.
Nicholl is the kind of book that i would not normally touch with a barge pole. Can astronomy explain the biblical star of bethlehem. What astronomer dave reneke found was that in 2 bc, venus and. Cosmos and culture if nothing else, the story of the star of bethlehem tells us of a time when looking up to. The rest of this article will be based on the assumption that there is, in fact, an astronomical event or events that was the star of bethlehem.
That is the hypothesis for the star we developed in setting the stage. Dec 23, 2011 yet another possible explanation for the star of bethlehem is the threetimes passing of jupiter and saturn between may and december in 7 bc. The magi in the east saw something in the heavensthe star of bethlehemthat alerted them to the fact that the jewish messiah was born. That this occurred in the constellation of pisces he thought was important as well. Searching for the star of bethlehem updated national. The star was a sign that inspired, for instance, the magi to travel to judea to honor the newborn king of the jews. The bible recounts unusual, or even impossible astronomical events at christs birth. Journey back in time to see the night sky 2000 years ago. We use 3rd party analytical software to gather statistical information about our. Taking a fresh look at the biblical text and drawing on the. Learn about all the theories in a free webcast today dec. The star appears only in the nativity story of the gospel of matthew, where astrologers from the east are inspired by the star to travel to jerusalem. The star of bethlehem, also called the christmas star, revealed the birth of jesus to the biblical magi, and later led them to bethlehem, according to christian tradition.
The star of bethlehem is a lovely symbol of christmas. Dec 21, 2016 the astronomy behind the star of bethlehem. Astroarchaeological star of bethlehem an ancient mystery decoded an illuminating journey into astroarchaeology, the roots of the present age, the birth of christ and the discovery of the lost capstone of the great pyramid. Nov 25, 2016 follow the star of bethlehem as the wise men followed it. If matthews wise men actually undertook a journey to search for a newborn king, the. Rick larsons documentary on the star of bethlehem has become very popular in.