Kepler and the Star of Bethlehem

Kepler's Explanation of the Three Wise Men's Guide to Jesus Christ

Oct 25, 2009 Tel Asiado

German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler came up with a planetary conjecture of planets Jupiter and Saturn, he called The Star of Bethlehem.

A German astronomer, mathematician and writer, Johannes Kepler was a major figure in the 17th century scientific revolution. Famous for his laws of planetary motion, he was a former assistant of Tycho Brahe, the scientist who advanced the Copernican Theory and laid foundations of Newton's work.

Kepler is believed to be the first to identify the Christmas star that guided the Magi or "Wise Men" to where Jesus was born, and with precise event and date. The "Star of Bethlehem" was a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the evening sky, described to mean a close approach of planets in the sky.

Brief Biography of Johannes Kepler

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was born in a small Lutheran town of Weil der Stadt, in Germany. When he was three, his father joined mercenary soldiers and his mother followed his father to Flanders. He was left to the care of grandparents at three years old when his father joined mercenary soldiers and his mother followed his father to Flanders.

He was a sickly child, born with defective eyesight. He began his education at the German Schreibschule then to a Latin school that influenced his writings. Later in his teens, he enrolled at a preparatory school for the Protestant University of Tübingen. He was an exemplary student with great interests in mathematics and astronomy.

He became Tycho Brahe's assistant and after Tycho's death, he used his master's accurate observational data to deduce his three planetary motion.

Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

His interest remained more in theoretical astronomy. Copernicus expounded the idea of the universe but believed that the orbits of the planets were in perfect circles. Kepler considered the possibility that it might be elliptic with the sun at one focus. He was right. His ideas are now known as Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion found in his book, Astronomia nova of 1609.

• The Law of Ellipses – The planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus.

• The Law of Equal Areas – The straight line joining the sun and any planet gives out equal areas in equal time periods.

• The Law of Harmonies – The square of the orbital period of the planets are proportional to the cube of their mean distances from the sun.

The Star of Bethlehem

Leading the Magi or the three "Wise Men" to the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is a standard symbol of Christmas, called the "Star of Bethlehem." For two millennia, great thinkers all — astronomers, theologians, believers and even skeptics — have pondered the story of the star that is supposed to have announced the Christian era.

In December 1603, Johannes Kepler was intrigued by the planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. With his characteristic patience and accuracy, he began computing the planetary positions at the time of the birth of Jesus. His calculations showed that there was a triple planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC on 27 May , 5 October and 1 December.

Critics of this theory say that there is a major flaw: the Bible refers specifically to a 'star,' not a planet of a pair of planets. Now, other theories also compete with Kepler's theory: that it was (1) the planet Venus, (2) a supernova or exploding star, or (3) a comet.

Whether there really was a new star — a holy light — that guided the three wise men to the manger in Bethlehem or a myth conceived by zealous partisans, only time will tell.

Last Insight on Kepler

One of his key works, Harmonicae mundi, was published in 1619, towards the end of his life. The scientific thoughts of Johannes Kepler, linked with his theological view of God as the Creator, developed in him an intense feeling, both for the order and harmony of the universe, and as an individual.

Sources:

• Farendon, J. and Woolf, A., Rooney, A. and Gogerly, L.. The Great Scientists. Capella, 2005.
• Verma, Surendra. The Little Book of Scientific Principles , Theories & Things. New Sydney: Holland, 2005.

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Magi Adoration of Jesus, Life of Christ

Johannes Kepler, German Astronomer, Mathematician