Category Archives: Cosmology and Divination

Will President Trump Survive Covid-19?

I  just listened to an excellent live stream from the brilliant astrologer Acyuta Bhava – Das (Nightlight Astrology) during which he addressed the horary question of whether or not President Trump will survive Covid-19. 

Although he hemmed and hawed regarding the ethics of asking – must less answering – questions like this, there seems to be little doubt that in his view there are several significant indications that Trump may not survive.

I won’t go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that the SUN (representing the President) in this horary chart (see below) is in Libra, its sign of ‘fall’. The next aspect to be made by it will be a difficult square with Jupiter/Pluto/Saturn in Capricorn (signature of Covid-19). I would add that the Moon in a horary chart always shows how events will unfold and after having made an opposition (difficult) to this Sun will run straight into a conjunction with all-powerful Mars in Aries – malefic and strong and in retrograde (covering old ground). This Mars is in the 6th house of illness – not good. During this whole time, that Moon makes a difficult square with that Jupiter/Pluto/Saturn (Covid-19). The final aspect made by the Moon will be a trine with Venus in Leo, hot and fiery and burning up – with perhaps fever.

Of course, as Acyuta Bhava rightly points out, there are alternative interpretations (such as an extended confinement and isolation) but the upshot is that this even if Trump should survive, this is a will prove a very rough patch from which he is unlikely to fully recover – either political or health-wise.

There’s suggestion that this has been ‘written in the stars’ or in the cards from the start. There were indications back in March 2020 that Covid-19 was going to play serious havoc with both the American president and people. I suggested this would not be plain sailing for Trump in 2020 back in 2017. But let’s not jump on or off the bandwagon and point fingers and assign blame to Trump or otherwise.

I must agree with Acyuta Bhava that each of us has some destiny to play out during our lifetime and that free will is not always what it is cracked up to be.

Looking at the connections between eclipse cycles in Trump’s birth chart that are now again coming to fore in 2020, we get a real sense of this. Likewise, horary and Trump’s natal connections with the fixed star, Regulus, which tends to kick back harshly when one goes too far, tell the same story. As Acyuta Bhava points out, this is truly in the ‘heart of the Lion’ and it will adversely affect Trump.

Now, the only question for each of us is how we will deal with it ourselves and don’t forget your own destiny…

What’s Ahead for June 2020?

We’re coming up to a real zinger of a month.

Peddling Backwards

First and foremost, for two days (from 23-24 June), no fewer than six planets will be retrograde, or apparently moving backwards through the sky. This is a rare occurrence and not the time to expect to make forward progress. Instead, use it as perhaps the gift that it is intended to be; a time for reflection, reality checks, and making strategic plans and decisions. Doubtless this time will be sorely needed.

Final Endings

Earlier in the month, on 5 June, the eclipse season commences with a lunar eclipse. With every eclipse something ends and something begins but whilst solar eclipses tend to offer new opportunities, lunar eclipses tend to bring final endings.

Because this eclipse (where the shadow of the earth blots out the light of the Moon) occurs on the Sagittarius/Gemini axis, we can expect a shadow of some sort to fall across our beliefs and knowledge.

Perhaps some ‘truth’ in which we’ve heavily invested is seriously questioned? If so, at least because the highly auspicious fixed star Betelgeuse is involved, it’s more than likely that in the end, we’ll consider learning this now rather than later to have been for the best.

Affirmative Action

Unfortunately, until Mars moves from foggy Pisces into more clear-sighted Aries, we may be unable to take affirmative action about that which we’ve learned. This delay could prove painful. This is because on 12-14 June, Mars in Pisces will have met up with Neptune (by conjunction). As the result, we’ll probably learn something about that upside down ‘truth’ that is disheartening.

Because the zodiac sign of Pisces is closely associated with martyrs, we might expect someone or some group of people to suffer persecution because of this ‘truth’. Because Pisces is ruled by the planet Jupiter, we might expect this persecution to involve some kind of legal ruling.

But, rest assured, when Mars finally does move into Aries on 28 June, there will be plenty of time for action. Mars will remain in this most militant of zodiac signs from then until the beginning of January 2021. It’s with the next set of eclipses, that we might expect to learn more about the precise nature of that which will goad people to take (militant) action.

Domestic Disruption

For those who figured that by now the Covid-19 situation will have been now be well on its way to simply going away, with the solar eclipse on 21 June at 0 Cancer, there could be some bad news. As noted above, all eclipses denote beginnings and endings and this eclipse, about both, will be particularly strong; it packs a serious punch on Cancerian themes of home, family, and domestic affairs. In hindsight it might well be viewed as a new chapter in the story that commenced back in January 2020 with the stealth advance of Covid-19.

To finish up the month, on 30 June, we have another conjunction of Pluto and Jupiter, the two planets generally considered to have symbolized the spread of Covid-19. The big difference between earlier in the year and now is that both Pluto and Jupiter are retrograde. Might this mean the advent of the second wave of the corona virus?

Interesting News

Let’s hope not. But at the very least we might expect this conjunction of Pluto/Jupiter to take developing matters irrevocably out of our hands. If this happens, then we ought not to expect any serious clarity about this until around 5 July, when we will enjoy another Lunar eclipse, which like the solar eclipse on 21 June, will fall on the Capricorn/Cancer Axis.

Interestingly, this eclipse in July occurs against the backdrop of three important fixed stars. This suggests that as the result of whatever will happens as the result of the seeds planted by July eclipse, we might learn that we’ve been urged by leaders to move to too quickly to get back on track with ‘normality’ in the wake of Covid-19:

  • Canopus – speaking to the potential for great leadership and finding new pathways or back new ground.
  • Sirius – speaking to the dangers of pushing things forward too fast and taking action that lead to unexpected results, results that may ‘burn you’.
  • Vega – speaking to charismatic ‘star’ appeal that can be used for good or for ill.

Could you benefit from some help navigating June?

50 minute Astrology-Coaching sessions available for £(GBP) 60. Enquire below:

What might we expect this weekend?

This weekend we will experience two powerful transits. They may not last for long but what comes about as the result will likely influence our lives for some time to come.

SUMMARY

Put disruption together with leadership figures and messages as well as crisis, fear, and uncertainty and at least we know what to expect; in essence the king has lost his crown. The next step is to figure out how to identify the silver lining inherent in every cloud and make the best use of it with tips from experts from crisis management.

ANALYSIS

Mercury in Aries is forming a square or challenging aspect to Jupiter/Pluto in Capricorn and the Sun in Taurus is uncomfortably connecting up with disruptive Uranus.

Let’s start first with Jupiter/Pluto: these planets have a 12-year cycle which is associated with power struggles and excessive optimism especially in regards to fear and uncertainty. In Capricorn, this dynamic is playing out in the realm of political and economic structures – governments, banks, and similar inviolable institutions upon which we have become accustomed to relying. The problem here is that Jupiter is in its ‘fall’ (i.e. falling from on high like Humpty Dumpty). Yet Pluto in Capricorn is strong. Whenever Pluto is involved, we can expect crisis of some sort. Something that was once well hidden about why we should remain optimistic is no more and no one will be happy about it.

Add Mercury, the messenger, to the mix and we might expect messages and vital information about something that will threaten our complacency. After all, if we choose to believe that there are such things as inviolable institutions, then haven’t we set ourselves up for an unpleasant surprise?

At the same time the Sun in Taurus will conjunct with Uranus in Taurus. Uranus is well-known for bring both disruption and surprises – often of a revolutionary kind. With this aspect, change and disruption in our domestic (Taurus) situations is pretty much a given. The Sun is associated with ‘father’ and similar authority figures and so that suggests both ‘king’ and ‘leadership’ figures. This could be the CEO of a multinational or it could be the president or prime minister.  

Put disruption together with leadership figures and messages as well as crisis, fear, and uncertainty and at least we know what to expect. We learn that the ‘king’ has lost his crown.

RESOLUTION

Experts in crisis management suggest that whatever the bad news, we need to remember that in every cloud there is truly a silver lining.

They suggest we experiment with ideas about opportunities that will not only help us to weather the storm but also to come out on top when its all over. This is best achieved when such opportunities work to the advantage to all involved. After all, chances are pretty good that it was a joint effort that got everyone into the mess and chances are equally good that it will be joint effort to get out of it.

Experts also suggest that incumbent to the success of our efforts will be to both stay focused on a meaningful goal. We also need to ensured (best we can) that everyone involved is honest about sharing whatever information they have.

Finally, the experts advise that it goes without saying that pretending something bad isn’t happening when it is happening will not work. Acknowledge the negative emotions churned up as the result of what’s happened and then after a deep breath, purposefully let them go.

If you’re going through hell, keep going.

Winston Churchill

What we might expect in this next calendar quarter:

Summary:

  • In the UK, the next three months will be difficult – very difficult to be brutally honest – consider this akin to a death and rebirth. However, the good new is that there’s ample evidence in this chart that the people of this nation (albeit perhaps not including the current government) have the resolve, desire, and spirit of enterprise to pull through this crisis. We might also see some expected developments in BREXIT and our relationship with Europe
  • By contrast, in the US the next three months – equally difficult – will likely be characterized by illusion, disillusion, confusion and (self-imposed) deception. The need to be ‘perfect’ will severely hamper the situation in the United States.

Detailed points of consideration:

  1. With Capricorn rising, the key to the entire situation is Saturn, the chart ruler, and he is a particularly strong position in his home sign.
  2. In mundane astrology Saturn often represents the amount of freedom a society permits or denies itself. In Capricorn, this is likely to be restrictive. This is now clearly showing up with social-distancing and self-isolation – some of it mandatory, some not. Saturn as chart ruler also suggests that UK is slipping into a its ‘traditional’  and conservative outlook. The sign on the Ascendant is oft said to represent the national ‘myth’ and in the UK that myth has traditionally been in keeping with Capricorn: ‘knuckle under’ and ‘get on with the job’.
  3. Yet that is not the entire story; Pluto is rising in this chart and is within seconds of arc with a conjunction with the Ascendant. Also note Jupiter/Mars conjunction has just risen. This is not to mention that in this chart, the 1st house has no fewer than 5 (or 50%) of all the possible planetary players.
  4. In mundane astrology, the 1st house governs the health and general disposition of the nation and its people. This suggests the UK is being heavily hit and it shows.
  5. More specifically, planets making close contact (within 2-3 degrees) with the ASC/DSC are seriously powerful players and the planet in this chart is Pluto. Here the health and general disposition of the UK and its people is characterized by the principle of rebirth that comes as the result of death and decay. We may thus speculate that in the next calendar quarter, the UK will experience a trauma that could quite literally bring the nation-state to its knees.
  6. The 7th house, governing the UK’s foreign relations as well as agreements is also impacted by Pluto. I would hazard a guess that suggests significant ‘reconsideration’ of the UK’s position re: BREXIT and its relationship with Europe.
  7. The good news, however, is that Pluto also represents the healing principle, which impels the collective – as an organic whole – to experience violent phases of self- healing, in order to regain health.
  8. Pluto is also making close contact (by Sextile/Trine) to MC/IC axis. The MC (also the 10th house cusp) represents the country’s leadership – in this case the prime minister and his style of government. Pluto also represents corporate affairs and similar group activity especially when applied to selfish advantage. That the prime minster is tied in with this suggests that what we are being told is something less than the truth – at least about the economy and the impact of this crisis on corporate affairs. In addition, because Pluto also suggests self-destructive impulses, any governmental activity along these lines is not likely to bring happy results for anyone.
  9. Pluto is also making close contact with the 4th house (the IC in this chart) which suggests that difficult challenges and changes can be expected to be made by the citizens of the UK especially in regards to their domestic situations. This also comes as no surprise but because this chart covers the energy to be experienced over the next 3 months, it might carry on longer than anticipated (at least by some).
  10. The final piece of the puzzle comes with the Mars/Jupiter conjunction that also is making close contact all the chart angles (MC/IC and ASC/DSC). This suggests that the nation has the resolve  and ability to pull through this crisis. Add Pluto to this mix, and we find an extraordinary spirit of enterprise as well as the desire and ability to tackle huge problems with great success.
  11. When the going gets tough, the tough (in the case the people of the United Kingdom) get going. YEAH!

By contrast, the chart set for Washington DC, suggests that the United States will not fare so well.

  1. As Capricorn is also rising in this chart, Saturn is still the chart ruler and again we can expect social-distancing and self-isolation.  Clearly that is already happening although perhaps not as wide a scale as in the UK.
  2. But the planet that sets off the ASC/DSC axis (1st and 7th houses) in this chart is not Pluto as it was in the UK chart, but Neptune.
  3. Whilst Pluto suggests that the UK would undergo self-healing, however difficult, Neptune  suggests that the American’s collective need to be ‘perfect’ (not only in the image it presents to others but also as to how it sees itself) will hamper their recovery.
  4. In this respect Neptune suggests the United States as a whole will suffer over the next calendar quarter from illusion, disillusion, confusion and deception.

BREXIT – Alpha & Omega

The chart of tonight’s BREXIT set for London sets the tone:

At the very bottom of the chart, we find Saturn/Pluto – the two heavy-hitter planets the conjunction of which earlier in January this year, astrologers have been fretting about for many months.

  • Although Saturn/Pluto conjunctions occur about every 30-33 years, they have not come together in Capricorn since 1518, when Martin Luther posted his thesis which, with the Protestant Reformation, ended the Catholic Church’s stranglehold on Western religion.
  • Astrologers have, for the most part, agreed, that (for a number of reasons) something equally as momentous can be expected this time.
  • Saturn/Pluto in conjunction puts us in touch with the necessity for endings. Either something is completely destroyed or utterly transformed beyond recognition. There are no other options.
  • This Saturn/Pluto conjunction, the energy of which has been building for many months, will be operative throughout most of this calendar year. The conjunction is both (1) the end of the previous cycle (which occurred in 1982 in Libra) and (2) the beginning of the next, which will end in 2053.
  • In this BREXIT chart, Saturn/Pluto straddle the cusp of 4th house. In mundane matters, the fourth house  symbolizes the common people as well as the families and clans which, naturally, they form. We might read this BREXIT chart as signalling the end of the ‘clan’ known as the European Union, to which the United Kingdom has belonged for some time.
  • We might also see it as a sign for the future – the necessity of the ending of the United Kingdom as it is now. With Saturn/Pluto, we often also get an advance look at the cracks that are forming in the foundation before they cause complete collapse. For example, Scotland has made no bones about it: the ‘clan’ to which they may more naturally adhere (i.e. Scots) has been dragged from the European Union against its will.
  • The good news is that in this chart, the Sun, which symbolizes the UK government is in Aquarius – it is progressive and radical, if not rebellious, at least ready and willing to try out new ideas. The bad news is that this Sun is not in a position to accomplish much (i.e. it is not ‘plugged into the angles) of any of this in the ‘real world’.
  • Leaving the past behind, we look to the future and in this sense, progressive talk is good but affirmative action is better. Over the coming months, we shall see how the current UK government fairs in this regard but don’t expect all to be made perfectly clear until this cycle comes to an end in 2053.

Crisis & Collapse / 2020

Last night, I had a horrible dream: I was sitting in my living room watching as (for no apparent reason) the wall of the house next door crumbled and collapsed.

This metaphor aptly depicts what we might soon expect from a series of planetary onslaughts across the bow of the Capricorn/Cancer axis.

To understand what this means, first remember that Capricorn is ruled by Saturn and Cancer by the Moon. Thus we can expect the cold, hard reality of material events (Saturn) to seriously disrupt our domestic and emotional security (Moon) as follows:

10 January – Lunar Eclipse

With every eclipse something ends and something begins but whilst solar eclipses tend to offer new opportunities, lunar eclipses tend to bring final endings. Because this eclipse (where the shadow of the earth blots out the light of the Moon) occurs on the Capricorn/Cancer axis, we can expect a shadow of some sort to fall across the promise of continued domestic/emotional security.

11 January – Uranus turns Direct

Now comes the turning point – although the proverbial writing may have been the proverbial wall for some time in regards to an upcoming change we can no longer ignore it.

12 January – Saturn/Pluto Conjunction

A seriously powerful planetary line-up in Capricorn (Saturn/Pluto/Sun/Mercury/Jupiter) assures us a crisis of significant magnitude to catch and hold everyone’s attention. The status quo explodes and as a consequence, we are forced to take action, like it or not.

The last time Saturn/Pluto were conjunction in Capricorn was 1518, when the world witnessed the start the Protestant Reformation and the end of the Catholic Church’s stranglehold on political and religious power.

The planetary line-up in 2020 is eerily similar to that of 1518.

During this period, we can expect nothing less than the total and utter structural (Saturn) collapse and death and rebirth (Pluto) of some status quo that will play heavy on our minds (Mercury).

Because of the nature of Saturn and Pluto in combination, this will not be pretty.

Add the Sun to this planetary line-up, and we can expect this crisis to bring about a sober AWAKENING – a mature, realistic understanding that something we’ve taken for granted has come to the bitter end.

17 January – Last Quarter Moon

The Moon in Libra reactivates the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of five days ago. The last quarter Moon is always a trying time – a test – a judgement of how well we’ve dealt with that which has come before. Expect more drama, disruption, and hard choices.

21 June – Solar Eclipse / Summer Solstice

Just minutes after the summer solstice, when the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Cancer, there is another solar eclipse. We’re looking at new chapter in the story that started in January re: crisis and collapse. What’s being offered here and will we take it?

5 July – Lunar Eclipse

By this time, the Jupiter and Pluto conjunction, which has been plodding along in the background since April, will have come center stage. At last, we might expect our story to be approaching some kind of resolution.

But before getting too optimistic (Jupiter), remember that the Jupiter/Pluto cycle is associated with political power struggles arising from excessive beliefs and optimism, i.e. fundamentalism and terrorism. Likewise, we might expect some death/rebirth (Pluto) regarding Jupiter-inspired things like the legal system or governmental rules and regulations.

29 September – Saturn turns Direct

Back in January, Saturn and Pluto formed that conjunction in Capricorn, one that reminds us of that formed in January 1518.

In April, Saturn moved out of Capricorn and into Aquarius, thus alleviating some of the pressure. But, unfortunately, it’s not over yet. In May, Saturn turned retrograde and started reversing back into Capricorn throughout the entire summer reigniting the crisis experienced earlier in the year.

Finally, at long last, Saturn turns direct moves definitively away from that January conjunction. Whilst it is true that Saturn’s 2020 conjunction with Pluto has set off a new cycle that will take approximately 33 years to unfold in its entirety, at least we now have some breathing space to reflect upon what has happened and adjust our lives in keeping with it.

In regards to my horrible dream, the wall (Saturn) of my neighbor’s house (Moon) may have collapsed (Pluto) in January but the dust didn’t start to settle until the end of the summer. Towards the end of 2020, my unfortunate neighbor will finally learns if he or she is can rebuild or need to relocate.

The Christmas Star (Part IV)

The Christmas Star is one of the holiday season’s most fascinating and enduring stories. Yet even today, astronomers remain uncertain as to the precise nature of the heavenly event that inspired it.

In a series of blog posts, I’ll be reviewing some key pieces of evidence supporting several of the most likely contenders along with some traditional and not so traditional interpretations. 

Previously

A few days ago, we investigated the messianic biblical prophecy of Balaam (Numbers 24.17) and how it may be connected, through the Magi, to one of the strongest contenders, a triple Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Pisces in 06/07 BC. 

Yet, because such conjunctions are not really all that rare, the question then became whether or not something else might have been going on. There was and it had to do with how the Magi referred to only as an amorphous group became three. Not only that, but these three magi, or wise men brought gifts. They also saved the baby Jesus from the clutches of blood-thirsty Kind Herod.

But just when the political machinations of this story found in the Gospel of Matthew reached its peak, we had to consider a completely different version, that found in the Gospel of Luke. Gone now is all reference to the magi, their gifts, Herod, and even our Christmas Star. We are instead presented with shepherds, an angel, and a ‘concerned’ Mary and Joseph.

Veering away from astrological interpretations, early Christian writers steered followers toward seeing the Christmas star as a miracle, free from any heavenly signs and accompanying ideas of fate or destiny. This naturally led to the suggestion that the heavenly event in question was a comet, for which there seemed sufficient historical and biblical evidence.

Yet this interpretation created its own set of problems, not the least of which involved the symbol of the virgin Mary giving birth with the crescent moon under her feet (as described in Revelations). Add to that no one had yet managed to fit the pericope of Luke, with the shepherds and an angel rather than Magi and a star into the picture, and everything seems a right muddle.

Although tempting, it would be a mistake to view this through a modern lens.

Hellenistic thinking

There is significant evidence that along with the rest of the New Testament, both the Gospel of Matthew and Luke were originally penned in Greek. This suggests that Hellenistic thinking, including Hellenistic astrology, itself laden with anthropomorphic Mesopotamian sky narratives, probably influenced these biblical texts.

This is important.

Not only were the constellations comprising the Mesopotamian zodiac different from those of our modern zodiac,  but celestial prophecy regarding that zodiac was not only prevalent, but also taken seriously.

In his book, Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings, Hermann Hunger, an Austrian authority on Babylonian astrology and celestial omens, provides several relevant examples:

  • ‘If the stars of Orion [known to the Babylonians as The Shepherd of Anu] keep gaining radiance: an important person will become too mighty and commit evil. – Venus stands in front of Orion.”
  • The priest Bullutu records a bright Venus in the ‘Crook’, known later as Auriga, the Charioteer and writes of this combination, ‘the foundation of the throne will become stable.’
  • ‘If Orion [known to the Babylonians as The Shepherd of Anu] comes close to the moon; the days of the reign of the king will become long…’
  • ‘If Ada thunders in the middle of Taurus [the Cosmic Bull], the king will conquer a country not belonging to him.’

Putting it all together

On 1 May 7 BC, there was a new moon along with the first of the three Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions.
  • Immediately afterwards, the planet Venus, as the evening star, was just above the crescent moon, in the stars of the Shepherd of Anu,
  • While the Sun, the king, was in Taurus just setting at the horizon, close by.
  • We now have all the elements central to the nativity pericope in Luke: shepherds, cattle, and a stable (as foundation of the throne).


In Venus, the evening star, we may also have found the ‘woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet’ as noted in Revelations 12:1-5 (RSV).

Could it be that in some sense, both the apparently conflicting bible versions (Luke and Matthew) of the birth of could be true, as sky narratives, recording through visual celestial symbolism the story of the birth of the Christ and the attendant Christmas Star?

Better yet, should any or all of this be considered as having fulfilled the prophecy of Balaam:

…a star shall come for out of Jacob and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel…

Numbers 24:17 (RSV)

Interesting, the word ‘sceptre’ originally meant a rod or staff. In the Old Testament, it was thus specifically applied to the shepherd’s crook, which was considered an insignia of supreme power:

And all the tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.

Leviticus 27:32 (RSV)

Shepherd thy people with thy staff, the flock of thy inheritance…

Micah 7:14 (RSV)

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Genesis 49:10 (RSV)

Conclusion

As it is impossible to reach any definitive inclusions about the real nature of the Christmas Star, I invite you to consider what has been presented over this four-part series of posts and make up your own minds as how best to interpret all the possibilities and the evidence. Also, when you next sing about shepherds who watch their flocks or three kings bearing gifts, I invite you to consider the cultural role that such celestial symbolism still plays 2,000 years after the historical event that it depicts.

The Christmas Star (Part III)

The Christmas Star is one of the holiday season’s most fascinating and enduring stories. Yet even today, astronomers remain uncertain as to the precise nature of the heavenly event that inspired it.

In a series of blog posts, I’ll be reviewing some key pieces of evidence supporting several of the most likely contenders along with some traditional and not so traditional interpretations. 

A few days ago, we investigated the messianic biblical prophecy of Balaam (Numbers 24.17) and how it may be connected, through the Magi, to one of the strongest contenders, a triple Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Pisces in 06/07 BC. 

Yet, because such conjunctions are not really all that rare, the question then became whether or not something else might have been going on. Turns out that there was and it had to do with how the Magi, once an amorphous group of wise men, became only three. Not only that, but these three magi brought important gifts to the new born king. They also saved the baby Jesus from the clutches of yet another king, the blood-thirsty Herod.

But just as it was all beginning to fit together nicely, we had to consider a completely different version of the story, as found in the Gospel of Luke. With this, all reference to the magi, their gifts, Herod, and even our Christmas Star have disappeared. Instead, we are presented with shepherds and a harking angel.

What would the early Christian writers make of this muddle and how might it effect our thinking about the Christmas Star?

_________________

Until Ignatius of Antioch ( c. 35 or 50 CE – 89-117 CE), there was no Christmas Star, at least not in its current incarnation. It was with his Letter to Ephesians that the star as we now know it first appeared in an early marketing campaign for Christianity. In the view of Ignatius, the ‘star’ in question was a miracle not a predictable planetary configuration, a sign from the heavens that with the birth of Christ, mankind was set free from the historical bonds of magic and (astrologically inspired) fate.

A star shone forth in the heaven about all the stars: and its light was unutterable, and its strangeness caused amazement; and all the rest of the constellations with the sun and moon formed themselves into a chorus about the star…

From that time forward every sorcery and every spell was dissolved, the ignorance of wickedness vanished away…

Letter to Ephesians (19:2-3) – Lightfoot Translation

Following the lead of Ignatius, Origen (184 -253 AD), another early Christian writer, introduced the idea that the inspirational heavenly event in question was indeed not planetary in nature but instead a comet.

We consider that the star that was seen ‘at its rising’ was a new star, and not like any of the normal celestial bodies…

We have read in the book called Concerning Comets by Chaeremon the Stoic that at times comets have appeared when good events were about to occur.

Why would it be a great surprise that a star should have appeared at the birth of one who was going to introduce new ideas to the human race and to reveal his teaching not only to Jews, but also to Greeks, and to many barbarian nations in addition?

Now I would point out with respect to comets that there is no prophecy about comets in circulation stating that such and such a comet would appear at the rise of a particular kingdom or at a particular time. However, the star which appeared at Jesus’ birth had been prophesied by Balaam, recorded by Moses, when he said ‘A star shall appear out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up out of Israel.’

Contra Celsum 1:58-59

With this, both Balaam and the pericope of Matthew are covered. Even better, in 5BC, well within the required time frame, astronomers in China, had recorded a bright comet constellation of Capricorn in 5BC.

Here’s additional Biblical support for the comet theory:

And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. And another portent appeared in heaven: behold a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

Revelations 12: 1-5 (RSV)

The argument is that only a comet could appear as herein described. Indeed, Balaam’s mysterious reference to a ‘star’ and ‘scepter’ also fits to the appearance of a comet in the sense that at a key state of its apparition, a comet would look like a scepter.

Yet another biblical passage adds support:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Isaiah 9: 2 (RSV)

Probably no one has done more to promote the comet hypothesis than Giotto di Bondone (1266/17 – 1337), the medieval Italian artist. His fresco entitled ‘the Adoration of the Magi’ in Padua portrayed the Christmas Star as a comet.

But if we are to embrace the comet theory, it appears we must also forgo the pericope in Luke with its shepherds and announcing angel. Indeed, might that not be what Ignatius wanted? And quite how are we to accommodate, the mother of Jesus, giving birth with the moon under her feet as described in Revelations?

The Christmas Star (Part II)

The Christmas Star is one of the holiday season’s most fascinating and enduring stories. Yet even today, astronomers remain uncertain as to the precise nature of the heavenly event that inspired it.

In a series of blog posts, I’ll be reviewing some key pieces of evidence supporting several of the most likely contenders along with some traditional and not so traditional interpretations.

Yesterday, we investigated the messianic biblical prophecy of Balaam (Numbers 24.17) and how it may be connected, through the Magi, to one of the strongest contenders, a triple Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Pisces in 06/07 BC.

Yet, because such conjunctions are not really all that rare, the question then became whether or not something else might have been going on.

____________

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) suggested that there was.

After witnessing a conjunction of the three superior planets, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in 1603, Kepler calculated that this event also occurred in 06/07 BC. Given that this happens only once in 796.4 years, it seems a better fit to the long-awaited ‘star’ prophesied by Balaam. Better yet, it provides evidence for the Western tradition that there were three magi who visited Jesus after his birth.

Interestingly, nowhere in the Bible does it specifically state that there were three magi. This notion must, however, have come from someplace and Hellenistic astrological thinking of the time might provide a clue.

Not only was there a triple conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter but now we have three powerful planets involved in what Ptolemy (c. 87-150) called a doryphory, or a train of important planetary attendants in service to one of the two luminaries (i.e. the sun or the moon). The very nature of the planets comprising a doryphory is that they bring useful gifts to the luminary, and, in the case of our magi, the gifts brought to the luminary (the son or Sun), Jesus, the new king, were three: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till 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.

Matthew 2:9-11 (RSV)

With the Matthean pericope, featuring the gift-bearing magi, the plot thickens as we now must account for King Herod.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.’

Matthew 2: 1-3 (RSV)

Historically, it is accepted that Christ was born during the lifetime of Herod, which is generally acknowledged to have died around 04 BC. So far, so good because the conjunction of the three superior planets that so impressed Johannes Kepler, occurred prior to the death of Herod in 06-07 BC. This would also seem to support theory of the triple conjunction of Jupiter/Saturn that otherwise fit in with Balaam’s prophecy. If we recall, that triple conjunction is clearly noted to have also occurred in 07-06 BC.

Yet when we delve deeper, we also learn that prior to visiting Bethlehem, our wise men, or Magi, first visited Herod. Doubtless when Herod asked them to locate the child and then return with the news so that he too could worship the child, they were pleased. But after having paid homage to the child and delivered their gifts, they ‘departed to their own country by another way’, having been tipped off ‘in a dream not to return to Herod’. Later, according to the Matthean pericope, Herod was not best pleased with this turn of events and ordered the death of ‘all male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under’.

Clearly the Magi and Herod are key players in the story as reported by Matthew although there is little or no historical evidence that Herod actually ordered the reported infanticide. Furthermore, there is even a suggestion that Herod and the Magi (three or not) do not form part of this picture at all. Not only that but, the star seems to have disappeared altogether, potentially replaced by a shining angel.

And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and their were filled with fear.

And the angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to a all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to another ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this this that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Luke 2:8-20 (RSV)

These two biblical accounts could not be more different. Luke’s is humble, peaceful, and low-key in direct contrast to that of Matthew which is driven by the high political stakes tension of Herod’s reaction to the new born child.

What will early Christian writers make of all this?

The plot thickens more.

The Christmas Star (Part I)

The Christmas Star is one of the holiday season’s most fascinating and enduring stories. Yet even today, astronomers remain uncertain as to the precise nature of the heavenly event that inspired it.

In a series of several blog posts, I’ll be reviewing some key pieces of evidence supporting several of the most likely contenders along with some traditional and not so traditional interpretations.

Let’s get started:

‘… a star shall come forth out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…’

Numbers 24.17 (RSV)

This is the messianic prophecy of Balaam (a diviner in the Torah) who, according to Ambrose of Milan (330-397) and Origen of Adamantius (184/5-253/4), was an ancestor of the race of Magi, an ancient priestly caste flourishing on the eastern edge of the Roman Empire.

Evidence suggests the Magi had long awaited the fulfillment of their ancestor’s prophecy. According to the writings of Strabo (43 or 63 BC – c 24 CE), just prior to the birth of Christ the official duties of the Magi included the election of the king of the Parthian empire (a major political power in ancient Iran). Hence not only were Balaam’s Magi sky-watching priests (experts in Mesopotamian astrology) but they also had considerable experience in the business of kingmaking.

Since the Sumerian period ( 3500-2300 BC) planetary tables recorded on clay tablets predicted the future movements of the planets and one such tablet dated from 08 BCE listed a forthcoming Jupiter/Saturn conjunction.

For Balaam’s star prophecy to be fulfilled, the birth of Christ needed to be at night even though at the time, all divine births (i.e. Augustus and Nero) were linked with solar deities and needed to occur at either sunrise or noon. The triple conjunction of Jupiter/Saturn in 07-06 BC was a highly anticipated sky event the fit the bill. Both planets were easily seen by the naked eye in the night sky yet in Mesopotamian astrology,  both Jupiter and Saturn were associated with powerful solar deities  (Marduk and Ninib, accordingly).

Not only that, but this conjunction occurred in the constellation of Pisces, the one of the most ancient of the twelve zodiac signs (first appearing on an Egyptian coffin lid dated c. 2,300 BC) which has since become most closely associated with the Christ.

If one looks closely at the glyph of Pisces, you’ll find that one fish is moving upwards whilst the other is moving parallel with the earth plane.

The symbolism here has been characterized as a formal embodiment of spirit, the penetration and materialization of spirit into the world of duality and form.

And the Word [of God] became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

John 1: 14 (RSV)

As you can see, this all is quite tempting.

Yet conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn are of themselves not really so rare, occurring every 20 years. True, a triple conjunction makes it a bit more rare and adding in that it would happen in Pisces would make it even more rare. But then Balaam doesn’t seem to have stipulated the necessity of Pisces any more more than he specified that Jupiter/Saturn had to be involved.

So was this particular celestial the subject of Balaam’s ancient prophecy?

Or was something else going on?