Explanations of the Christmas Star: The final possibility is one or more of the 5 visible naked eye planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn. Another Star of Bethlehem possibility is Uranus, which to Saturn in 9 BC and Venus in 6 BC. This is farfetched because Uranus moves very slowly and is only thinly visible. In truth, the likelihood that the Magi could have confounded one or more of the privy planets with a star actually seems remote.

Occasionally, two or more of these restless wanderers come together in a dramatic conjunction. Perchance a planetary grouping of rare beauty; an exceptionally close conjunction of two planets or groupings of three or more creating an eye-catching nonrepresentational figure in the sky may have taken place between the years 7 and 2 BC. A assembly like that would be quite uncommon to the unexpecting eye.

One such event that is often cited occurred on the evening of Feb. 25, 6 BC involving Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and happened in the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes. If you have ever visited a planetarium for the traditional Christmas show, you probably already know the thrill of watching as the planetarium projector races back through time to recreate this unusual event. One such case that is often referenced came about on the evening of Feb. 25, 6 BC involving Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and took place in the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes. If you have ever ran into a planetarium for the conventional Christmas show, you probably already experience the thrill of watching as the experience the flush of ascertaining as the planetarium projector races back through time to model this unusual event. Another affirmable account for the Star of Bethlehem is the three-times of Jupiter and Saturn between May and December in 7 BC; a exceptional triple or “great conjunction.” Jupiter appeared to pass one degree north of Saturn on May 29; practically the identical on Sept. 30; then finally a third time on Dec. 5. There is no uncertainty about the profile of these outcomes, mostly opposite to the Sun in dark skies. As for their astrological affect, the Magi would have without fail noticed that both planets did not seem to separate widely between their alignments.