The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-01
is IT TO COME THIS YEAR I?
Astronomers Expect to See the BethIe-
hem Star.

Astronomers Expect to See the BethIe.
| hem Star.
Will the star of Bethlehem which
guided the "Wise Mem" Of the Bible
appear during the closing years Of this
century? There are many astrono-
mers who confidently predict it's ap-
pearance, and the recent disturbances
in the heavenly bodies have encour-
aged some to believe that that great
astronomical phenomenon is approach
ing. According to the calculations Of
the past the star should appear some
time between 1890 and 1895, and the
present year being the last Of the time
set for it there is considerable anxiety
displayed by those interested in the
question.
The question whether the star of
Bethlehem was mythical appearance
in the heavens or real, genuine new
star intended to guide the Magi to
Bethlehem is settled by different peo-
pie, according to the amount of their
religious belief, but certainly the re-
appearance of some star OF comet in
the heavens at stated intervals has
attracted the attention and wonder Of
astronomers in the past. The earlier
appearance of the star is shrouded in
considerable mystery, owing to the
lack of any scientific observation, and
all the records We have are stories of
writer's and common peasants. From
all accounts the star of Bethlehem has
reappeared about every 315 years since
the birth of Christ.
In the year 1872 the star appeared
the last time, and Of it's appearance
then we have the most trustworthy
account. Gone evening, as I was
watching the heavens in my accustom-
ed manner,' Tycho Brahe writes, II
saw, to my great astonishment, in the
constellation Of Cassiopeia, a brilliant
star of unusual clearness. A few
nights before this another astronomer,
Cornelius Gemma, saw the star and
called it the ''New Venus Both
men thought that this wonderfully
brilliant phenomenon of the heavens
was the old star Of Bethlehem, and its
appearance at that time Tailed with
its periodical appearance in 1854, 945
$50 and 315. The star was described
by these astronomers as possessing all
the brilliancy and brightness that
characterized the ancient one which
appeared before the Wise Men. More
-over, it was not stationery, but it
slowly moved away and disappeared in
an incredibly short time from. the
heavens. Its first discovery was on
November II, 1872, and in December
it had moved out of the constellation
Of Cassiopeia, and before March it had
disappeared entirely. This movement
of the strange star corresponds very
accurately with the account given in
the Bible.
In 1864 the Bohemian astronomer
and astrologer, Cyprian Lowitz, gives
an account of the appearance in the
heavens of wonderfully attractive
star that had not been there before.
In his accounts We have similar de-
scriptions of the strange visitor, ap-
pearing suddenly, and moving gradu
ally away until finally swallowed up
into space. To him also we are in
debted for an account of the same star
which appeared in 945, when the
heavens seemed to be lighted up by
this strange heavenly phenomenon.
The Chinese chroniclers, who watched
the heavens with great care, also men
tion the appearance of comet or new
heavenly body, which they thought
meant disaster to their crops. 1t did
not bring any ill-luck to the country,
and the common people then attribut-
ed it's appearance to their good gods,
and they rejoiced that the "one-eyed'
was looking down upon them.
The former appearance of the star
in 630 and 315 was not recorded by
any astronomer of account, but in the
folklore of most of the Oriental ma
tions numerous descriptions Of the
new Star Of Bethlehem can be found.
Historians all agree that there must
have been some heavenly disturbance,
or the appearance of some new planet,
comet or star that attracted universal
attention. The lack of any trust
worthy account in those days cannot
be used as good argument against the
periodical appearance Of the heavenly
wonder.
There have been altogether 26 his
torical accounts Of the appearance Of
strange new stars in the heavens.
Many astronomers reason from this
that should an unusually brilliant star
appear this year it would not indicate
that it was the old Star of Bethlehem.
They say that the Wise Men simply
saw Venus at the time of its great
splendor. Others assume that the
star was occasioned by the conjunc-
tion of planets or that it was comet.
In 1926 the German astronomer,
Ideler, suggested that the star was
conjunction Of planets, and Enoke re-
peated it in 1881. To support their
theory they show that there was con-
junction of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn
in September of the year 3, B. G..
But at no time during the conjunc-
tion were these planets nearer together
than degree, and they would hardly
be taken for one star. Their combin-
ed brilliancy, however, would give as
much light and power as the mystic
rious visitor that has SO often ap-
peared.
During the last year unusual dis
turbanccs and appearances in the
heavenly bodies have been noted by
scientists, as if they were somewhat
affected by the attractive force of an
other body not regularly acting upon
them. More meteoric showers have
been reported in the Southern part of
the world than usual, and storms of
great destructiveness have swept over
the whole globe. The GOODNESS Of the
present winter is attributed by astron-
omers to the influence Of the planets,
and whenever q comet has approached
~ o,,tl ~ +bo roct rn,c1,o1 rraoth or