On January 6, many Christians around the world celebrate Epiphany, Three Kings Day or the Day of the Kings.
How the Magi, a group of astrologers or magicians (number unknown) somehow morphed in three camel-riding, gift-bearing kings is a discussion best left to Biblical scholars.
But apparently, these men were joyfully following a new star that came to rest.
The Thanksgiving turkey was still warm and football games weren’t even over when the internet began filling up with speculation: “Will We See the Star of Bethlehem This Year?”
Was there actually a star? Or was it a conjunction of the planets or a comet? Maybe a supernova?
It was quite possibly a supernova. Records from China and Korea mention a bright star or comet or something appearing in or near the days of Herod the King.
Or was it a comet? The Star of Bethlehem was depicted as a star with tail in paintings and tapestries of the past, and Amahl sang about a tail in the famous Christmas opera. But that proves nothing.
Last fall, Jupiter appeared to be extra bright as when Earth flew directly between Jupiter and the sun.
An even weirder thing happened last summer. Because the earth can orbit the sun faster than Jupiter, it appeared that, for a while, the bright giant planet was stationary, sort of like it had come to rest in relation to the other planets.
Then, a couple years ago around Christmas, Jupiter and Venus, though far really far, far away from each other, appeared to be very close.
So close they looked, at least to someone with poor eyesight, like they were one very bright star.
Does this matter? What if the three kings were really men of science? What is the star in the east was a planet?
What does matter is, on a clear night this time of year, if we are far from cities or other light pollution, we can still thrill to see the wonders of the night skies.
If we could wish upon the evening star (which probably is a planet), one of my wishes would be that we protect our sky from light pollution, so this spectacle can inspire us and future generations.
