Has the Star of Bethlehem Reappeared?

New York Herald

Has the Star of Bethlehem appeared again? This is a query that comes from the West. A few nights ago, according to the Denver Republican, Mr. Daniel E. Parks, a well-known attorney of Denver and an enthusiastic astronomer, was sweeping the heavens with his telescope, when he came upon a new clestial body for which he could not account. It appeared from its formation, to be a glowing mass of hydrogen and nitrogen, and to be heading toward the earth. It was found between the constellations of Aries and Cassiopeia—that is, in the north of the heavens—about midnight. The Star of Bethlehem is supposed to have appeared in about the position of the star described by Mr. Parks.

Now, there are two theories as regards the Star of Bethlehem. Until recent years the interpretation of this phenomenon by theologians and believers generally coincided with the obvious facts of the Biblical narrative. The Star in the East which appeared to the Magi led them to the Saviour, and which was seen by the shepherds keeping their nightly watch on the plains near Bethlehem, was apparently miraculous. The whole matter was regarded as supernatural, forming a portion of that divine pre-arrangement whereby the Father acknowledged the Son.

But with many people a very different opinion has gradually become prevalent. The star has been displaced from the category of the supernatural and miraculous and has been referred to the ordinary astronomical phenomenon of a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn.

This idea originated with Kepler, one of the founders of modern astronomy, as far back as the seventeenth century. He supposed that if he could identify a conjunction of the above-named planets with the Star of Bethlehem he would thereby be able to determine on the basis of certainty the exact date of the birth of the Saviour, a matter concerning which there has always been dispute.

Kepler's suggestion has been worked out in the present century by Dr. Ideler, of Berlin. It seems, then, according to the calculations of both these men, that a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place about or at the time of the birth of Christ, the conjunction occurring not far from the first point of Aries. In fact, there were three conjunctions at the time, and in the last two conjunctions the interval between the planets amounted to no more than a degree, so that to the unassisted eye the rays of the one planet were absorbed in those of the other, and the two bodies would appear as one.

The two planets went past each other three times, came very near togehter, and showed themselves all night long for months in conjunction with each other as if they would never separate again.

The theory is that on astrological grounds such a conjunction could not fail to excite the attention of the Magi, who were close observers of the stars; that in consequence partly of the knowledge of Balaam's prophecy, and partly from the impression then said to be prevalent that some great one was to be born in the East, the Magi commenced their journey to Jerusalem.

Their journey is supposed to have occupied several months. It is supposed that the last conjunction of the two planets took place when the Magi entered Jerusalem. In the clear atmosphere of the East the planets would present a far more brilliant appearance than they would from our point of view, Jupiter especially presenting a brilliant apparition, being as its nearest approach both to the sun and to the earth.

About an hour and a half after sunset the two planets might be seen from Jerusalem, hanging, as it were, in the meridian and suspended over Bethlehem in the distance.

According to this theory, then, Mr. Parks may have seen the Star of Bethlehem a few nights ago. For according to astronomical calculations a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place during a few days in the latter part of July. This conjunction, as has been said, would not present the brilliant appearance in this atmosphere that it does in the clearer air of the East, and could not be observed here by the naked eye.—New York Herald.

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