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Home , Herod the Great, Naked eye

"The of " by Craig Chester President, Monterey Institute for Research in

Preview: For over two thousand years the almost everything in it is wrong. The actual has been a powerful sym- account of the Star of Bethle- bol of the Christian faith. Its unique story, hem comes from the second chapter of the told here by astronomer Craig Chester, was of Matthew (told here in the Revised originally presented at Hillsdale College's English translation): Center for Constructive Alternatives Semi- was born at Bethlehem in nar, "Man and Creation: Perspectives on Judaea during the reign of Herod. After Science and Religion," in the fall of 1992. his birth astrologers [] from the east arrived in , asking, The Story of the Star "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We observed the rising of his star, and in the East we have come to pay him homage." omeone once observed, "The universe King Herod was greatly perturbed when he heard this, and so was the whole of is composed of stories, not atoms." The Craig Chester is the president and Star of Bethlehem is certainly a story (as Jerusalem. He called together the chief co-founder of the Monterey S is most of , first and fore- priests and scribes of the Jews and asked (California) Institute for Research most). It is a mystery and a puzzle, involving them where the was to he born. in Astronomy (MIRA). Founded 22 not only theology and astronomy, but also his- "At Bethlehem in Judaea," they replied, years ago, MIRA is the only Ameri- tory and even astrology.' It is an attempt of "for this is what the prophet wrote: can professional observatory men to understand not the universe at large, 'Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are established in this but specific events, or "What I Saw" by no means least among the rulers of century which is What do we know about the Star of Bethle- Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler independent of uni- hem? The popular conception is summarized to be the shepherd of my people .' versities and of the in the carol: " federal government; its observatory (at of Orient are/Bearing Then Herod summoned the one of the hest sites gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, astrologers to meet him secretly, and in the U.S.), its edu- moor and mountain/Following yonder ascertained from them the exact time cational programs. star. when the star had appeared. He sent and its state-of-the- 0 star of wonder, star of night/Star them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and art research are with royal beauty bright, Westward make a careful search for the child, and funded almost leading, still proceeding/Guide us to thy when you have found him, bring me entirely by private perfect light. word, so that I may go myself and pay donors who wish to him homage." support basic sci- We all know those lines as the story of the ence at a unique Star, which is fine—except for the fact that institution. As a software consultant, Dr, Chester ' My background is astronomy. I also took some fascinating courses in Biblical studies at Harvard has worked on a variety of U.S. Divinity School, but I do not pretend to be an expert of any sort. It also should be noted that I am not Navy and U.S. Air Force presenting any original research in this essay. Many scholars, including scientists, theologians, and projects, developing ground historians, have studied the Star of Bethlehem. equipment and software tools for communications. Ile holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from Case Western Reserve University.

IMPRIMIS After hearing what the king had to say refers to three of them) came "from the east." Roman monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year they set out; there before them was the star They might have been Zoroastrians, Medes, 525 A.D., long after the fact. Scholars writing they had seen rising, and it went ahead of Persians, Arabs, or even Jews. They served as in the first and second centuries A.D. asserted them until it stopped above the place court advisors, making forecasts and that Jesus was born between what we now where the child lay. They were overjoyed at predictions for their royal patrons based on call 4 B.C. and 1 B.C. They were living much the sight of it and, entering the house, they their study of the , about which they closer to the event and had access to thou- saw the child with Mary his mother and were quite knowledgeable. Magi often wan- sands of historical records in many excellent bowed low in homage to him; they opened dered from court to court, and it was not libraries, and their opinions probably their treasure chests and presented gifts to unusual for them to cover great distances in should be given much more weight than him: , , and . Then order to attend the birth or crowning of a has been common. they returned to their own country by How about the time of the year? The best another route, for they had been clue is a passage in the Book of Luke: warned in a dream not to go back to And there were in the Herod. same country shepherds What is your initial reaction to this abiding in the fields, story? It seems to me that it is not a keeping watch over fabulous tale. That is, it does not their flock by night. conjure up fantastic details or images, and it is told in a rather mundane If the reference to fashion, not at all like a fable. It is "fields" is accurate also the only account we have not pastures or holding of it in our Bible. Later, pens—we might guess various non-canonical sources at a date in late sum- did elaborate on it. Books mer or early fall, for it like the Protevangelium was customary for farm- of James and an of ers to allow sheep and Ignatius say this star was cattle to graze the stubble the brightest star in the in the fields following , brighter than all the harvest. This clue is other stars combined, suggestive, but hardly even including the definitive. and the , which One difficulty in seeking a bowed down before it. precise date is the fact that But Matthew is very Matthew reports two separate matter-of-fact.' sightings, possibly separated by a substantial time. First, the Magi saw the Star rising en anatole, best The Historical translated as "rising in the east," the ancient technical term for an acronical Perspective rising, when an object rises at sunset and is o understand this story, visible all night. After they come to we must Jerusalem—we view it in the context of do not know how long that took, and its time. king, paying their respects and offering gifts. there is no indication that the Star was in Who were these Magi? Where did It is not surprising, therefore, that Matthew any way involved with the journey—they see they come from? Magi is the plural would mention them as validation of Jesus' the Star again as they travel the few miles to of Magus, the root of our word magic; kingship, or that Herod would regard their Bethlehem: "court astrologer" is probably the best trans- arrival as a very serious matter. There before them was the star lation. "Wise men" is also a good term, When might these Magi have appeared in they had seen rising, and it went ahead descriptive of the esteem in which they were Judaea? Obviously, determining the story's of them until it stopped above the widely held. The group of Magi in question date is important if we are to look for place where the child lay. (it is the , not Matthew, that astronomical connections. We might assume that it was around 1 B.C. or 1 A.D., since that There was no need for a bright or super- is when, by conventional reckoning, Jesus natural guiding light to find Bethlehem was born. But the calendar on which these from Jerusalem; it lies just five miles south dates are based was set by the

2 It has been suggested that this is a commentary by Matthew, always fond of referring to Old Testament prophecies, on Balaam's oracle in the Book of Numbers that "a star shall come forth out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel." It would be uncharacteristic of Matthew to refrain from pointing out this prophecy explicitly, had he had it in mind. The Hebrew prophet Daniel, himself a member of the Magi, foretold that a king of kings would come forth from Israel. On the strength of this prophecy, the Roman emperor Nero was even advised to move his capital to Jerusalem. on the main road. There is a reference not to men to climb up on the wall and tear down 1 B.C., there was a total lunar eclipse visible the "house" of an infant (brephos in the the golden eagle that the king had ordered in Palestine, and it occurred twelve and a half placed on the gate to the Temple in Greek) but of a paidion, or toddler, indicat- weeks before . As Martin points out, Jerusalem. This eagle was, of course, an ing that some months may have elapsed there are other compelling reasons to regard abomination to the Jews because it was a since the birth itself. 1 B.C. as the true date of Herod's death. For graven image. Soon Herod himself died and What are the astronomical possibilities? example, the War of Varus, known to have was buried. One of his sons inherited his This question has been asked many times followed Herod's death, can be redated to 1 throne, shortly after which Passover was cel- since the Christian apologist Origen first B.C., where it fits the other known facts ebrated. It was long believed that the lunar perfectly. raised it around 250 A.D. It is safe to say that eclipse in question occurred on March 13 in every astronomical event known to have If we conclude that Herod did die in the 4 B.C. But this was only a partial eclipse (40 occurred during, say, the decade of interest spring of 1 B.C., we are free to add the years 3 percent total) and fairly hard to detect. And it has at some point been proposed as the Star B.C. and 2 B.C. to our search for the Star of occurred only 29 days before Passover. Here of Bethlehem. Bethlehem. What was happening then? The is what would have had to happen in those The key point to answering this question year 2 B.C. marked the 25th anniversary of 29 days: is to note that it is not just any astronomical Caesar 's rule and the 750th Herod was sick at the time of the execu- event that is of interest. We can restrict our anniversary of the founding of Rome. Huge tion of the rabbis and his condition worsened inquiry to those appearances that would celebrations were planned. The whole almost immediately. He was treated for a time have had astrological significance to the empire was at peace. The doors of the temple by his physicians, to no avail. Herod then Magi, who declared: of Janus were closed for only the third time decided to pack up the royal household and in Roman history. To honor their emperor, "We observed the rising of his star, move to to take the baths. He tried the people were to rise as one and name and we have come to pay him the baths unsuccessfully for some days and Augustus pater patriae, or "Father of the homage." then returned to Jerusalem. Believing that he Country." Now, getting the people of an An astronomical event may not have been soon would die, Herod came up with a empire to do something "spontaneously" very obvious at all; certainly it was not diabolical plan to insure that all of Israel requires a great deal of organization. And so obvious to Herod. Had it been an incompa- would mourn his death, in spite of his an enrollment, or census, was ordered: unpopularity. He commanded the leading rably bright object, as later writers thought, In those days, a decree went out men from around the country to come to there would be numerous written records of from Caesar Augustus that all the Jerusalem; there he imprisoned them in the it. It is much more plausible that the Star of world should be enrolled....And all Hippodrome and ordered the army to exe- Bethlehem went unnoticed by all but a few went to be enrolled, each to his own cute them as soon as he was dead. Israel experts such as the Magi. city. would indeed mourn. (Fortunately, the order was not carried out.) This enrollment, described in the Gospel The Death of Herod In the meantime, word arrived from Rome of Luke, which brought Joseph and Mary to that Herod had the Emperor's permission to Bethlehem, always has been a mystery since major key to the chronology is the execute his rebellious son Antipater, and he no regular taxation census occurred at this date of the death of Herod, who fig- promptly complied. Five days later he died, time. But the pater patriae enrollment fits ures prominently in our story. but not before decreeing that his was to be perfectly. A Herod was alive when the Star of the largest funeral ever held in the history of Bethlehem appeared and the commonly the world. His body was embalmed. The army The Astronomical quoted date for his death is 4 B.C.4 Thus was assembled to carry his body in the funeral dates of 7 B.C. through 4 B.C. are often given procession to a burial site some 25 miles Perspective for the birth of Jesus. The political events of away. The soldiers walked in bare feet, as was hat astronomical events, possibly this period are best known from the writings required when in mourning, traveling one of Flavius, the Jewish historian in the years 3 or 2 B.C., might mile a day. A legate from Rome, where word have been related to the Star of who lived from 37 A.D. to about 95 A.D. His of Herod's death had been received, arrived to testimony has always been considered vital W Bethlehem? Novae have been protect the royal treasury. Finally, Herod's son suggested, the unexpected, sudden in determining these dates. But the accounts Archelaus was crowned king and had time to of Josephus and the entire history of this brightening of a star from invisibility into a issue a few decrees prior to the celebration of bright object for a period of days or weeks. period have been reassessed recently, with Passover. important new results, by Ernest Martin, There is no historical record of such a , The 29 days between the eclipse of 4 B.C. whose book, The Star that Astonished the nor is it clear what a nova's astrological and the following Passover simply do not significance would be. are World, has become the authoritative source allow enough time for all of this to have candidates, for they appear sporadically, on the subject.' happened. A minimum of ten weeks would move, and even seem to point down to the According to Josephus, on the night of a have been required. But on January 10, . (This was Origen's choice.) But the lunar eclipse Herod executed two rabbis. recorded comets around They were accused of inciting some young

The reference is to Herod the Great. It was his son who executed and who ruled at the time of the Crucifixion.

5 Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World (ASK Publications, 1991). See also John Mosley, The Christmas Star (Griffith Observatory, 1987).

H this time, even Halley's in 12 B.C., the birth of a male child who is to be the so doing. Here the situation is different. The were not very impressive; astrologically, they ruler of the universe. Significantly, Septem- question is: What meaning, what room for were considered ominous. Meteors and fire- ber 11, 3 B.C., also marked the beginning of God, do we find in the events that we know balls are even less likely candidates. the Jewish New Year, traditionally regarded to have occurred? Conjunctions of have long been as the anniversary of Noah's landing after If we have correctly identified the Star of considered good possibilities. A the Great Flood. Bethlehem, the science is clear and simple. is a close apparent approach between two But if the was the Star of Keplerian orbits of planets' are predictable, celestial objects. Technically speaking, a Bethlehem, or was a component of the so that we can deduce quite accurately what conjunction occurs at the moment when events that triggered the visit by the Magi, the sky looked like two thousand years ago. both objects have the same celestial longi- how do we view the final appearance of the Even the ancient Magi understood apparent tude; one is due north of the other. The clos- Star on their journey to Bethlehem? It would planetary quite well. Predictions of er the objects, the more visually impressive have been in the southern sky, though fairly the conjunctions of 3 and 2 B.C. were made is the event and the more significant astro- high above the horizon. Could it have 400 years prior to the birth of , and logically. In 3 B.C. and 2 B.C., there was a stopped over Bethlehem? they were in error by only a few days. There series of close conjunctions involving Jupiter, the planet that represented kingship, coro- nations, and the birth of kings. In Hebrew, Jupiter was known as Sedeq or "Righteous- "What meaning, what room for God, d ness," a term also used for the Messiah. is no need to In September of 3 B.C., Jupiter came into we find in the events that we know to invoke God or conjunction with Regulus, the star of king- divine ship, the brightest star in the constellation of have occurred?" miracles to Leo. Leo was the constellation of kings, and explain what happened in the heavens it was associated with the Lion of Judah. The above Judaea. Natural laws are sufficient. royal planet approached the royal star in the But is this kind of sufficiency really royal constellation representing Israel. Just a The answer is yes. The word "stop" was enough for us? The significant question month earlier, Jupiter and , the Mother used for what we now call a planet's "sta- raised here is not what happened, but why it planet, had almost seemed to touch each tionary point." A planet normally moves happened. What does it mean? Was Matthew other in another Close conjunction, also in eastward through the stars from night to right in seeing this event as divine confirma- Leo. Then the conjunction between Jupiter night and month to month, but regularly tion of a central moment in God's plan for and Regulus was repeated, not once but exhibits a "retrograde loop." As it approach- mankind? What room is left for God, not as twice, in February and May of 2 B.C. Finally, es the opposite point in the sky from the sun, an agent filling in the gaps between what we in June of 2 B.C., Jupiter and Venus, the two it appears to slow, come to a full stop, and can understand as physical causes, but as the brightest objects in the sky save the sun and move backward (westward) through the sky creator of purpose? And was God's purpose the moon, experienced an even closer for some weeks. Again it slows, stops, and fulfilled by the great celestial dance that we encounter when their disks appeared to resumes its eastward course. It seems plausi- call the Star of Bethlehem? touch; to the naked eye they became a single ble that the Magi were "overjoyed" at again These questions are examples of the kind object above the setting sun. This exception- seeing before them, as they traveled south- of decisions we are faced with daily. No the- ally rare spectacle could not have been ward, His star, Jupiter, which at its stationary ologian can say, in a way convincing to a missed by the Magi. point was standing still over Bethlehem. We scientist, that some event required an act of In fact, we have seen here only the high- do know for certain that Jupiter performed a God outside natural law. Similarly, no scien- lights of an impressive series of planetary retrograde loop in 2 B.C. and that it was sta- tist can say that some event was merely (a motions and conjunctions fraught with a tionary on December 25, interestingly dangerous word) an act of natural law variety of astrological meanings, involving enough, during Hanukkah, the season for working itself out with no other meaning. all the other known planets of the period, giving presents. That is, no one is forced to believe that what Mercury, Mars, and . The astrological happened in the heavens two thousand years significance of these impressive events must What Room for God? ago was a simple, natural event devoid of surely have been seen by the Magi as the meaning. The Star of Bethlehem is an excel- here has this search for the Star announcement of the impending birth of a lent example of an event that occurs right at of Bethlehem taken us? There great king of Israel. the intersection of Christianity and science, has been much discussion in September 11, 3 B.C., is perhaps the most in a world created by a God who chose to interesting date of all. Not only was Jupiter Wrecent years about the "God of institute natural laws but who nevertheless the gaps"—finding God in the gaps between very close to Regulus in the first of their con- continues to carry out His own purposes. 4 junctions, but the sun was in the constella- the portions of some subject that we feel we tion of Virgo (of obvious symbolism), understand scientifically. It seems to me that together with the new moon, in a configura- this is a dangerous position, for science by tion that fits a plausible interpretation of a definition cannot admit to such gaps and passage in the describing must search continually to fill them with its understanding, and it often will succeed in

6 Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was the German astronomer who discovered the physical laws describing planetary orbits.