Bethlehem Star

There are times in each of our lives that rain falls, hard times come and it helps to reach out to our friends and to our God for a little support. This is the place to express those needs, concerns and situations so others in the AAPK family can keep you in their prayers.
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by WillyCamaro »

Railsplitter wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:54 am
OLDE CUTLER wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:35 am These conjunctions of planets happen fairly frequently in different combinations. The current one is Jupiter/Saturn. Venus and Mars also are involved in conjunctions with any two or more of the 4 planets mentioned capable of producing conjunctions. While the two planets appear to be very close together, one has to remember that at the time they looked the closest, Jupiter was 5.8 astronomical units from earth while Saturn was 10.7. One a.u. equals 92,955,807 miles, so Saturn was hundreds of millions of miles "behind" Jupiter. The statement that this current event has not happened for 800 years is not true. As I mentioned they happen fairly frequently. They have not appeared to be this close together in the sky for 800 years. Also it is a total misnomer to call it is a Bethlehem star since neither object is a star and can happen at any time of the year and in this instance by coincidence is near Christmas time. When I used to do astronomy programs for kids groups and Scouts, I used to demonstrate with a baseball and a hoopla hoop, the base ball being the sun and the hoopla hoop being the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path that the planets seem to take across the night sky. So just by coincidence from time to time from our perspective on earth they will appear close together, or in conjunction.
I remember reading some time ago that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is 93 million miles.

Is this what an Astronomical Unit is?
Yup, if I can remember correctly from my schoolin.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Railsplitter
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by Railsplitter »

WillyCamaro wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:38 am
Railsplitter wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:54 am
OLDE CUTLER wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:35 am These conjunctions of planets happen fairly frequently in different combinations. The current one is Jupiter/Saturn. Venus and Mars also are involved in conjunctions with any two or more of the 4 planets mentioned capable of producing conjunctions. While the two planets appear to be very close together, one has to remember that at the time they looked the closest, Jupiter was 5.8 astronomical units from earth while Saturn was 10.7. One a.u. equals 92,955,807 miles, so Saturn was hundreds of millions of miles "behind" Jupiter. The statement that this current event has not happened for 800 years is not true. As I mentioned they happen fairly frequently. They have not appeared to be this close together in the sky for 800 years. Also it is a total misnomer to call it is a Bethlehem star since neither object is a star and can happen at any time of the year and in this instance by coincidence is near Christmas time. When I used to do astronomy programs for kids groups and Scouts, I used to demonstrate with a baseball and a hoopla hoop, the base ball being the sun and the hoopla hoop being the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path that the planets seem to take across the night sky. So just by coincidence from time to time from our perspective on earth they will appear close together, or in conjunction.
I remember reading some time ago that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is 93 million miles.

Is this what an Astronomical Unit is?
Yup, if I can remember correctly from my schoolin.
::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
Rick T.

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WillyCamaro
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by WillyCamaro »

Steve Warden wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:39 am Just goin' by what I read, OC.

It's estimated that the last time humans witnessed this impressive sight was around the year 1226, according to Michael Shanahan, the director of the Liberty Science Center Planetarium in New Jersey.
https://www.today.com/news/christmas-st ... cs-t204471
Same here.
Johannes Kepler, and Galileo calculated that this event fell extremely close to the true birth of Christ. They figured out the star that guided the wise men fell on 7.AD, which concurs with what scriptures say, seeing that Jesus was a child when they met Him.
So going by the calculations of the greatest scientist who ever lived, this is the advent that guided the wise men, or something very similar.
::hmm::
...
Don't quote me on this un mates, I have more research todo (thinking about today).
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

Railsplitter wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:41 pm I didn't want to post this in the Amateur Astronomy thread because it was taken by Tom Polakis whom I believe is a professional.

Not sure of the magnification on this but obviously taken through a telescope.
It doesn't matter who took the picture, you can post it there. lol
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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bighomer
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by bighomer »

Mighty poor but here you go.
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Bethlehem Star

Post by WillyCamaro »

bighomer wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:00 pm Mighty poor but here you go.
::handshake:: ::tu::
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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