Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-01
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
Prospects of Its Reappearanoe in the Near
Future.

Prospects of Its disappearance in the Near
Future.
There have appeared from time to
time within the past few years, notices
of the expected temperance of the Star
of Bethlehem" in the consultations Cas-
siOpeia, with dark surmises as to the ON
inOus results to the world and to human
ity, which its coming is to foreshadOW.
AS an instance of the kind Depreciation
in which some minds delight the follow
ing may be quoted:
I'm 1887, the Star of Bethlehem will
be once more seen in CassiOpeia's chair
and it will be accomplished by a total
eclipse Of the sun and moon. This star
only makes its appearance every 315
years. 1t will appear and illumine the
heavens, and excel in brilliancy even
Jupiter, when in opposition to the sun,
and therefore nearer to the earth and
brightest. The marvellous brilliancy of
the Star of Bethlehem in 1887, will sur
pass any of the previous visitations. It
will be seen even at monday, shining
with a quick, flashing light the entire
year, after which it will gradually de-
crease in brightness and finally disap-
pear, not to return to our heavens till
the year 2202, or 315 years from 1887.
This star first attracted the attention of
modern astronomers in the year 1872.
It was then called a new star. It was
no new star, however, for this was the
star that shone so brightly four years
B. c., and was the star that ilIumined
the heavens at the nativity Of Christ. 1t
has reappeared every 315 years since,
and every educated astrOlOger is certain
that it will appear in August, 1887. The
II,
it will be by solar and lunar eclipses, to-
gether with the baleful influence that
follows the positions that Mars and Sat-
urn will occupy, will cause a universal
war, and portentous floods and fearful
shipWrecks. North America will be in
vOlVed in civil strife, and reign of terror
will prevail in the Atlantic States, unless
a Napolean arises to quell it. There will
be war of Classes-the rich will array
themselves against the poor, and vice
versa, everywhere"
Whoever will cast his eye upward,
about o'clock on a clear evening, will
perceive the constellation of Cassiopeia,
lying in the milk y way, nearly overhead,
little to the north of the zenith. 1t is
in this constellation, according to the
prophet above quoted, that the messen-
ger of dread is to appear. There are five
two fainter ones, the figure of an inverted
chair. The chair is not difficult to dis
cover, and no doubt those gifted with a
powerful imagination can succeed in
seeing the lady who is supposed to be
sitting in it.
The last appearance of the Star Of
Bethlehem has been best described by
TychO Brahe, the Danish astronomer.
On the night of the 18th Of November,
1872, Tycho's attention was drawn to a
brilliant and unknown star in the con-
stellation of Cassiopeia. The following
is his own statement in regard to it:
''When quilted Germany to return
to the Danish coast, I stopped in
the ancient cloister, admirably situated,
of Herritzwaldt, belonging to my uncle,
StenOn Billie, and I became accustomed
there to remain in my chemical labOra-
tory till the fall of night. One evening
as | was surveying, as usual, the celestial
vault, the aspect of which is so familiar
to me, l saw with indescribable astonish-
ment, near the zenith, in CassiOpeia, a
radiant star of extraordinary size. Struck
with surprise, could scarcely believe
my eyes. To convince myself that there
was no illusion, and to gather the testi-
mony of other persons, had the work
laboratory, and I asked them, as well as
the passers by, if they saw like me the
star which had just suddenly appeared.
learned later that in Germany some
wagoners and others of the common peo-
pie had appraised the astronomers of a
great apparition in the sky, which has
furnished occasion to renew the railleries
against learned men, as in the case of
comets, whose coming had not been fore
seen"
This is the great astronomers account
of the apparition. Tycho Brahe eonsid-
cred the advent of this star of impor-
lance enough to write a book specially
ON the subject. The star received the
name of the Pilgrim, but it has also been
called the Star of Bethlehem. This star
outshone all the stars in the sky, includ-
ing Jupiter, which was then at its bright
est. 1t continued to shine during the
rest of the month with lustre so great
as to be visible to some persons in the
daytime. When first seen, the star shone
with brilliant white light, which In
time assumed a yellowish hue; afterward
1t displayed a ruddy appearance, like
Mars or Aldebaran. and at last became