Have you ever thought about the origin of the star placed on top of the Christmas tree? Today, I'd like to explain the significance of this star.
- What is the star on top of the Christmas tree?
- Investigation into the Identity of the Star of Bethlehem
- Candidate 1: The Comet of Halley
- Candidate 2: The Conjunction of Planets
- Candidate 3: The Supernova
- Introduction to Other Articles
What is the star on top of the Christmas tree?
The star atop the Christmas tree is modeled after the "Star of Bethlehem." This star is said to have announced the birth of Christ in the Bible.
After the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, a star never seen before appeared in the western sky in the eastern lands. Three wise men, known as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, learned of the birth of a Jewish king and began their journey towards the star. Along the way, they met King Herod of Judea and asked, "Where is the king of the Jews to be born?" Herod, surprised and anxious at the thought of a potential rival king, instructed the wise men to inform him of the newborn's whereabouts once they found him. Guided by the star, the wise men continued their journey to Bethlehem, where the star stopped directly above. There, they found Jesus, held by his mother Mary, and paid him homage, offering precious and rare gifts. However, warned in a dream, they returned home without informing King Herod. Later, Herod, fearing for his throne, ordered the massacre of all male infants in Bethlehem and its surroundings under the age of two. But Joseph, warned by an angel in a dream, fled with the infant Jesus and his mother to Egypt, thus escaping the tragedy. (from Wikipedia)
And this Star of Bethlehem also appears in various paintings.
In the painting above, an orange Star of Bethlehem shines in the sky above the young Christ (kind of looks like a meteorite... haha). It's understandable as a decoration for Christmas, the festival of Christ's Nativity.
Investigation into the Identity of the Star of Bethlehem
Now, while it's surprising to discover such meaning behind the star atop the Christmas tree, what astronomers are curious about is precisely the identity of that star, the one that announced the birth of Christ.
Some scholars think it might be a fabrication, but various astronomers have attempted to narrow down the possible celestial events from the historical records of figures like King Herod, to identify the true nature of this Star of Bethlehem.
Oh, astronomers are really interesting...
Let me introduce you to some candidates for the Star of Bethlehem:
Candidate 1: The Comet of Halley
One of the candidates is Halley's Comet. The Star of Bethlehem depicted in Giotto's "Adoration of the Magi" resembles the shape of Halley's Comet. However, the period of Halley's Comet is known, and its closest approach was in 12 BC, which is too early for the birth of Christ.
Too bad!!
Candidate 2: The Conjunction of Planets
Another candidate is the "triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn" that occurred in 7 BC. This is a rare phenomenon where two planets appear very close together. This theory was proposed by the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler.
However, while it is a rare phenomenon, it's now understood that it didn't result in a significantly brighter appearance, and there are no descriptions in ancient Babylonian astronomical records covering the time of Christ's birth.
Too bad!!
Candidate 3: The Supernova
A recent theory suggests that it might have been a supernova, a phenomenon where a star explodes and shines brightly, appearing as if a new star suddenly appeared.
There's speculation that it could have been a supernova explosion near the Andromeda Galaxy, but it's apparently difficult to pinpoint the exact time of the explosion from the current remnants.
Too bad!!
So, the conclusion is:
We don't know!
That's right, it remains unidentified... Let's just contemplate the Christmas tree while pondering on this mystery.
Introduction to Other Articles
What is Circumpunct?
