Evening star., 1935-12-22

novae are relatively rare objects and not
more than three first magnitude novae have
been recorded in the last three hundred years.
Gould the Star of Bethlehem that was
supposed to have heralded the Nativity have
been such nova1" That is one of the theories
that have been advanced by those who like to
think of some astronomical evidence for the
biblical story. There is an account in an
ancient Chinese record which would appear
to refer to such nova, occurring in the
year BIC. 4. This seems to be the nearest
astronomy can come to accounting for any
new object in the sky that was recorded at the
beginning of the Christian era.
Modern chronology places the birth of
Christ somewhere between BIC. 7 and BIC. 2.
While there are still grounds for uncertainty,
it is interesting to note that the usually ac-
cepted date is the very year, BIC. a, to which
the ancient oriental record refers.
Whether or not the record of the brilliant
nova in BIC. lis authentic and just when and
where it was seen, we may never definitely
be able to establish from any official records.
It does not appear unreasonable, however,
have inspired the story of the Star of Bethle-
hem in connection with that of the Nativity.
There are other astronomical signs besides
novae or new stars which might have attracted
the attention of the ancient Wise Men and
have given rise to the tradition of the Star
of Bethlehem The Wise Men of the East were
doubtless versed in astrology and believed
that any special aspects of stars and planets
in the sky often foretold events in the affairs
of mankind. Modern astronomy may have
little use for astrology, but nevertheless the
astronomers of today are indebted to the early
astrologers for many observations of the stars
and planets on which early progress in as
tronomy depended.
As the various planets rove about the sky,
weaving their way in and out among the stars,
they frequently pass each other, sometimes
in close proximity. The band around the sky
which the rowing planets appear to follow is
famliarly known as the Zodiac. Various parts
of the Zodiac have had special astrological
significance.
In one region of the Zodiac is large con-
stellation, Pisces, the Fishes. In this constela-
tion, in the year BIC. z, Jupiter and Saturn,
two major planets, were in conjunction within
one degree of each other. 1t has been thought
by some that this conjunction of Jupiter and
Saturn may have been the astronomical event
that lay back of the story of the Star of
Bethlehem.
Johann Kepler, distinguished German as
tronomer who lived in the Seventeenth CEN
tury, made a careful study of the astronomical
positions of the planets near the time of the
birth of Christ. He found that not only were
Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction with each
other in BIC. T. but that they were in con-
junction three times that year, and all of
these times in the constellation of the Fishes,
a sign of the Zodiac which has long been
known to be of special significance to the
Hebrews.
The two planets, Jupiter and Saturn, in
close proximity always make an interesting
spectacle. 1t is not difficult to imagine that
the astrologers of the Eastern country, seeing
these two bright stars shining like double
star together above the eastern horizon four
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