According to the Gospel of Matthew, the star of Bethlehem – a bright celestial body that indicated the Magi the way to the house where the baby Jesus was born. Star lit the east, when Jesus came into the world, and has led the Magi to Jerusalem, where King Herod sent them to Bethlehem Judah. «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 », – is said in the Gospel of Matthew.
Assuming that the events described in the Gospels are true, the question arises, What is the Star of Bethlehem. Obviously, to attract the attention of the Magi could only really unusual and bright celestial body, however,
according to the theologians, star general could not be a real celestial objects.
For example, the interpreter of Scripture Theophylact Bulgarian wrote: «Hearing about the star, do not think that it was one of the visible contact: No, it was divine and angelic force, which was the star in the image. Inasmuch as the magicians who study the stars, the Lord led them to, for them a familiar sign, even as Peter fisherfolk astonished lots of fish attracted to Christ. But the star was the power of angels, it can be seen from the fact that she shone brightly during the day, was when there were magicians, shone when they should not go: and especially the fact that it was from the north, where Persia, to the south where Jerusalem: but the stars never go from north to south ».
Connection planets
In 1614, the German astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered that in 7 BC there was a series of three connections of Jupiter and Saturn. Scientists have suggested that approach each other planets could be seen from the Earth, and this phenomenon has become known as the “Star of Bethlehem.” However, current estimates show that the distance between the planets was about twice the diameter of the Moon, which means that Jupiter and Saturn could hardly make an impression on the Magi.
In 3-2 Years BC there was a series of seven compounds cosmic bodies, including three of Jupiter and Regulus (the brightest star in the constellation Leo), as well as extremely close conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on June 17 2 years BC and in August of 3 BC However, these events are not very good candidates for the role of the Star of Bethlehem:
Connection of the planets were visible in the west at sunset, and therefore could not specify the Magi the way to the south and bring them down from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
Comet
Halley’s comet was visible from Earth at 12 BC for about 60 days and could theoretically be a good candidate for a star, but at the time, astronomers already know how to distinguish the comet from the other cosmic bodies, and regarded them as a bad omen.
New or supernova
Another flared up like a new star object was observed by astronomers Korean and Chinese in 5 BC This object was visible for 70 days and not moving – as well as the Star of Bethlehem, which is a sort of “hung” over the house of Mary and her baby.
In 2005, a hypothesis that
Star of Bethlehem was a supernova that exploded near the Andromeda galaxy, distant from the Earth at a distance of 2.52 million light-years.
Despite the fact that detect traces of a supernova, or to determine the exact time of its outbreak in another galaxy is extremely difficult, scientists were able to find the remains of a supernova in the Andromeda galaxy.
heliacal rising
One theory is that the expression “in the east” used in Gospel can not be treated simply as an indication of the direction of light, and though little-known, but very specific astronomical term – heliacal rising. This expression refers to the first, after a period of invisibility morning sunrise star or planet. Before heliacal rising star for some time is in the daytime sky is invisible, then at some point rises in the east side of the sky against a background of dawn.
However, other interpreters of the ancient text claim that the Gospel does not contain specific astronomical vocabulary and expression “in the east,” the author only wanted to point out the direction of the light.
Cover Jupiter
The astronomer Michael Molnar claims , that the star in the East began the events that occurred on March 20 and 17 April 6 BC – covering Jupiter’s moon. Cladding – this astronomical phenomenon in which a space object passes in front of the other, obscuring part of it.
Scientists believe that
cover of Jupiter Moon could not be visible from Earth with the naked eye, and therefore, it can hardly have been mistaken for a bright star.
On the other hand, when the wise men came to King Herod, who sent them to Bethlehem from Jerusalem, the king was surprised by this visit. This means that the “guiding star” of the Magi he saw – and here they are, as human beings educated and well-versed in astronomy, it may be noted coating.
In spite of the considerable number of theories that could explain the appearance of the sky Star of Bethlehem, none of them is admittedly correct.
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