XPost: alt.history, alt.religion.christianity

What was the Star of Bethlehem?

By Jonathan O'Callaghan , All About Space magazine published 21
December 20

Probably not a star.

Scene of an old barn in snow under a starry night sky with a single, extra-bright star.
Was the Star of Bethlehem a star, or something else? (Image credit:
Marcia Straub/Getty Images)

As the well-known story in the Gospel of Matthew goes, three Magi, or
wise men, followed the Star of Bethlehem to Jerusalem some 2,000 years
ago. And after consulting with King Herod of Judea, the men found
newborn baby Jesus in the little town of Bethlehem. Whether such an
event really happened in history is difficult to prove, but if it did,
what was the Star of Bethlehem?

This is a question scholars have long pondered, not just from a
religious or historical perspective, but from a scientific one, too.
Plenty of theories have been proposed, from an astronomical event to
an astrological horoscope, but thanks to modern astronomy, scientists
are getting closer to an answer.

"If what is in the New Testament is a historical account of something,
then that historical account requires an explanation," David
Weintraub, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt
University in Tennessee, told All About Space in an email. "As an
astronomer, you want an astronomical explanation."

Source:
https://www.space.com/star-of-bethlehem



--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

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