For the First Time in 800 Years, the 'Christmas Star' Will Be Visible
There’s nothing like a little Christmas miracle to inspire cheer after the chaos of 2020.
On Dec. 21, people will have the opportunity to experience the same awe as the three wise men when they looked to the sky and saw the “Christmas Star,” or the “Star of Bethlehem,” shining brightly.
In an event that has not occurred in almost 800 years, Jupiter and Saturn will appear to almost collide in a phenomenon scientists refer to as a “conjunction,” making them look like an incredibly bright “double planet,”according to a report from Forbes Media.
Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan explained that lesser alignments between these planets occur about every 20 years.
But for the planets to appear this close to one another is “exceptionally rare,” and such an event isn’t likely to happen again until March 15, 2080.
“You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky,” Hartigan told Forbes.
While stargazers can appreciate the spectacle before it slips away, for Christians, an experience such as this is merely a glimpse of the wonders God can perform.
That should inspire hope in this tumultuous year.
Many people are worried not only for their physical health but for their mental health as well, as various state-level restrictions keep businesses and churches shuttered and loved ones separated from one another.
With more government oversight likely to come, devastating the economy and suppressing vital liberties — including the freedom of religion — it can be difficult to see beyond the trials of the present.
In times such as these, it can be easy to despair, so that’s why the reappearance of the Christmas Star is so significant.
Searching for this wondrous sign of God should be simple, as no matter where someone is, God’s miracles can find those who need to witness them the most.
Stargazers merely have to look toward the southwest portion of the sky starting about 45 minutes after sunset on Dec. 21, and the star will be visible at night for an entire week.
It’s a reminder of God’s greatest gift, where He revealed Himself in the form of His Son so His servants would know they are the recipients of the deepest love imaginable.
The magi dispensed by King Herod undeniably felt this when the star revealed to them the location of the infant Jesus, as Matthew 2:9-11 says:
“After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
“And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
This year has been rife with challenges, but the struggles tied to life on Earth are nothing new.
Still, God entered this broken world in the form of an innocent babe to lavish mankind with His grace and invite them to choose Him.
Christians know this means God will never leave His children to wallow in suffering.
Though it’s impossible to know what the future will bring, the reappearance of the Christmas Star is a reminder of the ways God reveals His kindness to those He shepherds.
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