Conjunction of Jupiter, Mars to Form Christmas Star
This week’s conjunction of two of the brightest planets will form a Christmas star, according to an astronomer who says the original Star of Bethlehem could have resulted from a similar event.
Jupiter and Mars will appear to come as close to each other as the diameter of the full moon tonight, University of Florida astronomer Alex Smith says.
“It’s even neat that this one precedes Christmas by a week,” Smith said Tuesday. “Presumably the real Star of Bethlehem did something similar to lead the three Magi, two millenia ago.”
Astronomers have offered other theories to explain the Star of Bethlehem. Some have suggested that it could have been a comet, and others have guessed it may have been an exploding star, or supernova.
Most Astronomers Agree
The works of Chinese astronomers from 2,000 years ago do not record any supernovas, and Halley’s comet passed near Earth in 11 BC, but astronomers generally believe the star was a planetary conjunction, Smith said.
Astronomers using computer simulations found that Jupiter and Saturn had three conjunctions in 7 BC, and Jupiter and Venus had one in 2 BC, he said.
While planetary conjunctions are not rare, tonight’s will be the brightest of 1986, Smith said. Jupiter will be a large, bright, yellowish-white object, while Mars will be smaller and red.
(The conjunction will be explained further by the staff of the Griffith Park Observatory as part of its annual Christmas Star Show, continuing through New Year’s Day. The lecture and slide show is held at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and at 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $2.75 for adults, $1.50 for children. For more information, call 664-1191.)
