The star of Bethlehem

Front Cover
Canopus, 2001 - Astronomy in the Bible - 128 pages
Is the story about the Star in the East true? And, if so, what exactly was the 'star'? While Sir Patrick cannot give a definitive answer, in The Star of Bethlehem he looks at various astronomical theories and comes up with a possible answer of his own. Who has not heard of the Star in the East? It is one of the most famous stories in the Bible, and tells us how the Wise Men came to Bethlehem to seek out the infant Jesus; they were guided by a brilliant star, which 'went before them' and stopped over the place where the child lay. Though all this happened two thousand years ago, the fascination of the Star of Bethlehem is a great as ever. This book presents the astronomical candidates in detail. Was it a star, a planet or planets, a comet, a nova or a supernova, or a shooting star? Unique artwork shows precisely how the sky would have appeared from Jerusalem at that time, so readers can assess for themselves which astronomical phenomena are likely solutions to the puzzle. Everyone who has wondered about this part of the nativity will enjoy Sir Patrick's honest and engaging account.

About the author (2001)

Patrick Moore was born on March 4, 1923. He is one of the most prolific authors of popular astronomy books. He began publishing astronomy books in 1950 and has been extremely active ever since. He is director of the lunar section of the British Astronomical Association and was director of the Armagh Planetarium in Northern Ireland from 1965 to 1968. Moore has been the host of a television program, "The Sky at Night," which appeared first on BBC in April 1957. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1968 for his work in astronomy. Patrick Moore died December 9, 2012.

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