#3. JUDAH'S BETHLEHEM STAR

Following: http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/one-shy-virgin_5.html

The Jewish Messiah is expected to appear soon and the magi in the east have been eagerly watching the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus in the constellation of Leo.  How many months is it since that first dawn show?            Nine!                      
Look at what they see now, low in the western sky just after sunset, in the direction of Judaea…. 

 
Jupiter (with the shorter trail) has now decided it’s time to start moving on from Leo to visit…you guessed it, Virgo!...but before the ‘father’ planet gets far from Regulus ‘the little king’ (beside our red ecliptic line), the ‘mother’ planet Venus (that sat on Virgo’s shoulder 9 months ago) now sweeps in on the ‘star’ of the show – Jupiter, to produce….get this……the brightest planetary conjunction in history! The date?  18th June 1 BC, when shepherds would be 'abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night'.                               

So which constellation gets to stage the show?   

Leo, of course….the lion being symbolic of Israel’s tribe of Judah AND the King of kings!                        

Venus so close to Jupiter and its moons?

How close was that conjunction?...

millions of miles apart? …or almost touching?                                       

Fellas, it’s time we packed our bags and followed this ‘star’ west, to pay due honour to this new King.

“O star of wonder, star of night,  

Star with royal beauty bright, 

Westward leading, still proceeding, 

                                    Guide us to thy perfect light.”                                          

What should we take to present to Him? 
Well, no king must lack for gold, shining like the dawn, or sweet frankincense… 

“Hey, I hope you guys know what you’re doing…arriving months late for this baby shower. This will be like a coronation you know – LONG LIVE THE KING! 

... so what are you also taking embalming oil for?”                                         

 

NEXT: Did you bring the GPS?
Click on: http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/did-you-bring-gps.html

Acknowledgements:                                                                                     

We Three Kings / John H. Hopkins
David Reneke, 'Sky & Space'                                                                               

Rick Larsen / DVD, The Star

Image credits:                                                                                                                                                                

Stellarium