Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to the November 2024 blog! In this month’s study as we approach the traditional holiday Season, I have usually reserved this period for material pertaining to the Birth of Christ. Since this has always been a primary reason for the existence of this research blog and a major source of inspiration for its subject matter and contents. When key info presents itself, I want to add it to what we have. Upon finding an article by Dwight Hutchison, of which I’ve included a good portion as a framework of a Babylonian chronology, for comparison with Bible truths, and a timeline in agreement with what we find in “Jesus Christ our Promised Seed.“#1 As a primary source advocating Christ’s birth in 3-2 BC, from a Biblical basis and perspective, added value of material from Babylonian sources adds a unique and independent perspective to existing sources, allowing us to dig deeper into the history of this key period.
As key background, after the rise of ancient Babylon, king Nebuchadnezzar’s forces conquered Judah; the southern kingdom of Israel in 604 BC, deporting most of its key people. Among the exiles was a group of gifted and intelligent young men with their leader named Daniel. After distinguishing himself by first accurately revealing king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and interpreting it for him, he was rewarded with a high position in Babylon’s royal court, that included key governmental authority, where he was made chief over all the magicians, soothsayers, and wise men of Babylon. This is a central aspect of the narrative as it placed Daniel and his friends in key positions to influence many of the royal decrees that came down, not only from Nebuchadnezzar, but many of the subsequent kings including Cyrus, during their lifetimes. As we have recently seen, the Babylonians were already renown in history for their study of the stars both from the perspective of science and symbolism. But with the rise of Daniel and his team of gifted geeks, they were able to bring a positive spiritual perspective to these studies in light of the prophecies of the coming Christ. Having the Babylonian Star Diaries, the cuneiform clay tablets at his disposal, provided valuable resources in his work identifying and accurately teaching the Magi, the celestial signs to look for, leading to the birth of Christ.
Daniel’s knowledge of the Gospel in the Stars not only enlightened his view of the OT Prophecies of Christ, but also provided key insight needed to teach the critical keys to the Zoroastrian Magi, whose monotheistic religion influenced King Cyrus, as one of the most enlightened leaders in history. As seen in the principles of the Cyrus Cylinder– his example of leadership was the first true model of diversity, that included successful rule over nations with different languages, belief systems and religions. Since a number of Persian Kings were of Zoroastrian Faith including Cyrus, this likely provided a source of religious tolerance exhibited in his rulership. Cyrus’ influence in ruling conquered nations impacted other kingdoms in history including the Roman Empire, who applied similar principles in their rule of conquered nations.
Daniel’s knowledge of the Gospel in the Stars was closer to the original, since the initial revelation originally given, in OT Scripture was perverted in the practices of astrology and divination, much of which was rooted and further defrauded in Babylon. As in modern times, astrologers cast their horoscopes, while many believe that the stars fatalistically control one’s destiny. Daniel, however, preserved the Tanakh, and developed his own order of scholar-disciples committed to his teaching, based on the truth of Scripture, not to include astrology or other kinds of divination, that were strictly forbidden in the Hebrew Scriptures. Daniel spent all his adult life in Babylon and later in Persia as a high official of the kings he served, while never wavering from his true service for the One true God. When Daniel was carried off in captivity to Babylon, it was a result of one of 27 sieges of Jerusalem and its Temple, the first destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, who burnt the Temple in 587-586 BC, [2 Chron. 36:17-20], the 2nd in 69-70 AD, by Titus and his Roman Legions who also burnt the Temple. In both cases Jerusalem lay desolate for the next 50 years on the Jubilee Calendar. Daniel had the occasion to interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar– of the large statue of four beasts in Daniel 7, where king Nebuchadnezzar was the first king of the first golden kingdom of Babylon, the golden head of this statue. It was Daniel’s privilege to also serve the King of the 2nd kingdom of Persia in this statue, of four kings who embodied the four beasts of the king’s dream.
Daniel 7:17
These great beasts, which are four, {are} four kings, {which} shall arise out of the earth.
This was where the co-regent king Belshazzar hosted a big banquet, during which a hand appeared and wrote on the wall the words, “Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.” Daniel was called to provide the interpretation that was, “God has numbered your days; you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting; and your kingdom has been given over to the Medes and the Persians.”
That night the Medo-Persian army conquered the city, but Daniel was kept as a government minister. He also had several dreams, described in chapt. 8 – 12 of the book of Daniel, one of these dealt with the coming of Christ: “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in ever-lasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.” [Dan. 9:24-26, Zech. 9:9] We have a detailed study on this important prophecy in Daniel 9 in the preceding link that you can refer to for further analysis.
The above prophesy indicated that the Messiah would be “cut off” and “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by armies of Roman General Titus in 70 AD, In addition to writing his account in the book named after him, Daniel had occasion to teach this information to his inner circle of adherents. Their descendants centuries later-the Magi, based on Daniel’s teachings, were enlightened of the General time when Jesus was to be born. A set of celestial signs were given to them described in the Bible as a “star,” in the OT Biblical prophecy: “I see him, but not now, I behold him, but not near. A star shall come forth from Jacob…” Numbers 24:17
As Hutchison points out; “The only usage of the word “Magi” in the Greek Septuagint text of the Hebrew Scriptures is in the book of Daniel.#2/7 The Magi in Daniel’s context were almost certainly Mesopotamians,”#3 along with Daniel’s Jewish friends- captive with him in the Babylonian captivity.
Hutchison lists 7 points in his “Star Proposal“ to which we are in general agreement. However, when we extend the signs of Jupiter during this key historical period to include its series of Planetary conjunctions, massings and other related celestial signs, that the King Planet took part in, we find a broader frame of events & specific signs with detailed Messianic narratives emerging from this astronomical context. Hutchison goes on;
“In the early centuries of the Christian era, almost all of the Church Fathers believed that Jesus was born sometime during 3 or 2 BC, in the 41st or 42nd year of the reign of Augustus Caesar. A small minority of modern scholars believe that Jesus was born during 3-2 BC and that Herod the Great died in early 1 BC. [Count me among this minority…] This article adopts more or less the dates of the Church Fathers, [as No Christian Church Father dates the birth of Christ before 4 BC . p. 28 JCPS]#4 In addition, the oldest church traditions indicate that Jesus was conceived at or near Passover and was born in December or January. The ancient “Feast of the Annunciation” (Gabriel’s announcement to Mary) is still celebrated at Easter (Passover).”#5 [Gabriel’s announcement to to Mary was preceded by his announcement to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, and Hebrew Priest who served in the Temple’s Course of Abia, in May–June of 4 BC, [Lk. 1:5, 19-25]. John was conceived in Elizabeth’s womb, Zacharias’ wife who were both descendants of Aaron the brother of Moses. ppg. 133-146, JCPS].#6 Since Elisabeth conceived in June of 4 BC, Gabriel’s announcement to Mary came in the 6th month of Elisabeth’s term [Lk. 1:26–38], in Dec. 4, BC, which puts the birth of Christ in Sept. 3 BC.
However, it may be that the skies hold keys for establishing more reliable general dates both for Jesus’s birth and Herod’s death.
The Star in the East-Identifiable Celestial Kingship Events in 3/2 BC. A key element in the star story involves the star in the “east.” It has become popular in recent decades to equate the phrase “saw the star in the east,” with an early morning first visibility of a planet, star, or comet as it emerges from the solar glare (a heliacal rising).#7
The “heliacal rising” interpretation of the passage was first suggested by various northern European scholars about one hundred years ago. 22 Franz Boll (1867–1924), a philologist, was once regarded as the world’s foremost expert on ancient astrology. He rejected the “heliacal rising” translation. In reality, Matthew gives us a non-technical message; he was not an astronomer. Even though a heliacal rising may have been important to the Magi, the famous phrase probably means that “the men saw something while they were in the East.” 8/23 The Prophet Daniel was strategically placed by God as a top official under the rule and administrations of multiple kings, along with his friends and fellow Magi, as agents to ensure God’s plan would be enacted. The subject of this blog adopts a greater portion from research done by Dwight Hutchison, in comparison with the research found in “Jesus Christ our Promised Seed,“#9 to uncover certain specifics and key missing details, not only on the history of the Magi, but also pertaining to the Prophet Daniel’s relations with King Cyrus, once Daniel was placed as head over the Magi in Babylon. I’ve included Mr. Hutchison’s research because, first I respect his work, and believe it provides key details filling gaps from the astronomy of the Babylonians and their celestial signs surrounding the Birth of our Lord and Savior-Jesus Christ. My comparison to the narrative found in “Jesus Christ our Promised Seed,” should provide a more detailed outline, on the celestial signs leading to and marking the birth of Christ that has been in dispute up to the present time. In Babylonian terms, there were two main royal “stars.” The first royal star of importance was the king planet, the so-called “white star” (Jupiter) MUL.BABBAR. MUL.BABBAR, the planet/star of Marduk, who was head of the Babylonian pantheon, associated with messages concerning the king of Akkad in the omen texts used throughout Babylonian history.#10/24
The second royal star was LUGAL, also called Sharru (both words mean “king”), which is Regulus in the constellation Leo. The constellation of the lion was also seen as being royal. Several constellations and planets are mentioned repeatedly in Assyrian royal correspondence with Mesopotamian astronomers in the seventh century BC. However, LUGAL (Regulus) was the only individual fixed star that seems to have had central importance to the astronomers who corresponded with the king.#11/25 Parthian rulers, who dominated Mesopotamia in the first century BC, issued coins containing a star with the crescent Moon (fg. 1).#12/26 The image on all the coins almost certainly stands for Regulus. It is probable that all of Matthew’s Magi carried with them coins with the images of Phraates IV and/or his son Phrataaces.
Figure 1. Coins containing a Star with the Crescent Moon issued by the Parthian rulers, who dominated Mesopotamia in the first century BC. Used by permission from www.cngcoins.com.#13
The symbol next emerges in the Parthian Empire, beginning with the coins of Phraates V (r. 2 BC – 4 AD). Here the star represented either the Zoroastrian divinity Mithra or the divinity Tishtrya. The case for Mithra is supported by the pseudo-Zoroastrian Pontus use of the star. The crescent likely corresponds with the goddess Anahita. The star and crescent became an emblem of the Parthian kings, adopted by the rulers of the Sassanian Empire as a sign of legitimacy. In the Sassanian period the star and crescent is shown with explicitly Zoroastrian elements.#14/27
Article
Matthew’s Magi Never Visually Followed a Star Anywhere, But …In general Jupiter is a harbinger of plenty and peace, except in close connection with the Moon (except when eclipsed) when it portends the death of a king and strife in the land, unless it is identified with Mul.LUGAL (Regulus) in which case it brings long days to the king (SAA 8 283).#15/28
MUL.BABBAR and LUGAL in 3 and 2 BC
Were there any events involving the royal stars MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) and LUGAL (Regulus) that might have impressed ancient astronomers in 3 and 2 BC? What happened at the key moments of MUL.BABBAR’s 399-day synodic cycle?
Synodic Cycle Sign 1– MUL.BABBAR (Heliacal Rising of Jupiter)—Late July 3 BC. In the summer of 3 BC, when MUL.BABBAR first visibly rose out of the solar eastern glare with the Sun in its annual conjunction with LUGAL-[Regulus]. Babylonian Astronomers had ephemerides tables & procedure texts which could have indicated the position of the Sun in relation to LUGAL (fg. 3).#16/29 This union of Jupiter and Regulus with the Sun, would have occurred between the June 12th, 3 BC Venus-Saturn conjunction in Taurus, and the Aug. 12th, 3 BC Jupiter–Venus union in Leo., a subsequent royal Bright and Morning Star solar conjunction in the Lion. [CS]
The coincidence of the two events was unique. MUL.BABBAR was more or less in this exact position only every 83 years. Because of MUL.BABBAR’s orbit, the mornings of July 28 or 29 in 3 BC were the optimum times in all of Babylonian astronomical history for the coincidence of MUL.BABBAR/ Jupiter’s rising and the solar conjunction with LUGAL/Regulus (see statistics in the notes).#17/30 The Danish expert in ancient Mesopotamian astrology, Ulla Koch-Westenholz, gives some indication of the meaning of the presence of Jupiter and Regulus in relation to the Moon. This may explain why Parthian rulers had placed Regulus with the Crescent Moon on their coins. The presence of Jupiter was also a positive link of the Moon with Regulus. We have noted this in a brief history of Lunar occultations of Regulus.
Figure 2. A portrays the constellation Leo with the Crescent Moon just beside Regulus.
In the summer of 3 BC, when MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) first visibly rose out of the solar glare in the east, the sun was in its annual conjunction with LUGAL (Regulus). A monument, called the Lion Horoscope, found in funeral statuary at Mount Nemrut in southeast Turkey, is very similar to the coins (fig. 1).#18 [https:// https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Lion-horoscope-A-complete-copy-of-the-original-stele-as-found-donated-by-the_fig6_342235096] The monument portrays the constellation Leo with the Crescent Moon just beside Regulus. The royal house of Commagene, commanded the Monument, had historical links to all major royal dynasties in the region. Culturally, the biblical Magi would have directly associating LUGAL and the Moon with kingship. #19/ 169 Volume 71, Number 3, September 2019 Dwight Hutchison
In Babylonian documents, the ideal rising time for MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) has been described. For example, on Nov. 8, 142 BC, the astronomical diary entry reads: “The 22nd of the month, MUL.BABBAR’s first appearance in Scorpius; it was small, the rising of MUL.BABBAR to sunrise: 11°30’” (11.5 uš =46 minutes).#20/31“Ideal first appearance on the 21st.” (at 10.5 uš = 42 minutes). On August 21, 109 BC, we read: “MUL.BABBAR’s first appearance in Month V, Day 18, in Leo, rising of Jupiter to sunrise: 11 uš. Ideal first appearance on the 17th.” (The previous day, it would appear that the ideal timing was about 10 uš.)#21/32The Almanac for the Seleucid Era year 150 in Month XII (see above) has MUL.BABBAR rising on March 24, 161 BC. From the sighting of the planet Jupiter to sunrise there were about 10 uš. The ideal rising in Leo seems to have been either 10 or 11 uš from the actual visual sighting of the planet to sunrise. #22/33
- The planet would not normally have been visible for the first minutes after its rising above the horizon. However, a very bright planet like Jupiter should surely have been visible within two lunar diameters or less from the horizon (within 1° of the horizon). See Babylonian historical statistics in the notes.#23/34Below are relevant facts for Jupiter’s 3 BC rising: July 28-29th, 3 BC, at Babylon. #24/35Rising of MUL.BABBAR: 04:22:49 LMT (Local Mean Time) Sunrise: 05:07:23 LMTSun center from Regulus at sunrise: 0°31′ Rounding to the nearest minute, there were 44 minutes from Jupiter–MUL.BABBAR’s rising above the horizon to sunrise. If one removes one degree to take into account MUL.BABBAR’s invisibility toward the horizon, this leaves 40 minutes=10 uš. On this day the Sun was closer to Regulus than on July 29th.#25/36July 29, 3 BC, at Babylon-Rising of Jupiter–MUL.BABBAR: 04:19:55 LMT. Sunrise: 05:08:06 LMT Sun center from Regulus at sunrise: 0°40′
Rounding to the nearest minute, there were 48 minutes from MUL.BABBAR’s rising above the horizon to sunrise. If one removes one degree to account for MUL.BABBAR’s invisibility toward the horizon, this leaves 44 minutes = 11 uš. The two dates fall within the optimum dates for Jupiter’s appearing according to Babylonian standards (statistics in the notes).#26/37
The Babylonian astronomical data above denotes an emphasis on the King planet-Jupiter’s rising with the Sun in Leo, the lion [of Judah’s Hebrew tribe in [Gen. 49;8-10, Rev. 5:5] near the heart of the Lion-Regulus the King Star. This was celestial foreshadowing to the upcoming triple union of Jupiter and Regulus, starting on Sept. 14th, 3 BC, three days after the Birth of Christ on Sept. 11th 3, BC, or Tishri 1 on the Hebrew Calendar, New Years Day when all Hebrew kings counted the start of their kingly reigns, regardless of when they actually began.
Fig. 3. The First Jupiter-Regulus Conjunction marking Christ’s Birth. #27
The union of Jupiter and Regulus, starting on Sept. 14th, 3 BC, @ 4AM, three days after the Birth of Christ on Sept. 11th 3, BC, or Tishri 1 on the Hebrew Calendar [JCPS. p. 45] This is also a sign of what I’ve referred to as the Celestial Sphinx; with the head of Virgo just above the horizon, linked to the lion body of Leo, as the Alpha-Omega signs of the Hebrew Mazzaroth/Zodiac, [Job 19: 23-25].
Ancient pagan astronomers in Babylon would have understood that something symbolic had happened involving the king star and the king planet without any other data. The sun, known as Shamash in Babylon, was linked to justice and truth. The sun appears to have been a positive celestial object except when eclipsed. With the Bible’s first recorded appearance of “his star” in Matt. 2:2, it was “in the rising,” in late July-early Aug. of 3 BC. This is what the Magi referred to in Matt. 2:2 “we have seen his star in the east.” Ancient astronomers in the course of their regular observations always noted date the star or planet first appeared above the eastern horizon at dawn, called heliacal rising.”#28
Ibid p.59 This was their signal that the Messiah was born, at the 1st Jupiter–Regulus union, when they activated their plan for a Caravan to Jerusalem. So between July 29 and November 3rd, 3 BC there were astounding celestial signs and portents starting on Sept. 9-12, 3 BC Eta-Draconid Meteor Showers in Draco the Dragon. Sept. 11th actually marked the Birth of Christ itself that was then followed by the Sept. 14th, 3 BC Jupiter–Regulus conjunction in Leo. This was the first of three Jupiter–Regulus unions in Leo, which triple union of the King Star symbolized the crowning of Regulus with the King Planet Jupiter, in Fig. 4 below. The Feb. 17th, 2 BC Jupiter–Regulus union in Leo, was the 2nd conjunction of this triple union, while the May 8th, 2BC conjunction of this royal Jupiter–Regulus pair in Leo was the third. This signified the king planet Jupiter’s triple crowning of the King star Regulus, in the near 9 months following the Birth of the Christ.Fig. 4. Jupiter’s Triple Crowning of Regulus from Aug. 3 BC to Nov. 2 BC.#29
Synodic Cycle Sign 2 MUL.BABBAR’s First Stationary Point—
End of November 3 BC On the day when MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) had reached its first stationary point in Leo, the Moon passed directly in front of LUGAL-(Regulus) in an Occultation (fig. 4). The royal symbolism is evident in that the Moon was directly linked with the “king star” LUGAL, at the same moment of the king planet’s stationary point,#30/38 or first turning point seen on Nov. 29th in Figure 4 above, as Jupiter paused to change course in retrograde motion. Babylonian astronomers counted forward about four months from heliacal rising to determine the second stationary point date of March 29th. They did not “eyeball” the station, Hutchison says,#31/39 but as we synchronize the dates of Jupiter’s motion from data in “Jesus Christ our Promised Seed,” we have a verification of the data from the records of ancient Babylon!
Counting about four months from July 28 or 29 one arrives in late November. The Babylonian dates were usually written with the first stationary point “around” a certain date in both their records and almanacs. The actual station was on the night of November 27/28. In one rough estimation, the coincidence of MUL.BABBAR/ Jupiter’s first station being in Leo at the same moment as a lunar occultation of LUGAL/ Regulus could only happen about once in about 2,750 years.#32/40 Other estimations are longer.
On Nov. 26/27 in 3 BC, the Moon occulted Regulus. The coordination of Jupiter standing still in retrograde with this Regulus’ lunar occultation together is very rare, occurring only once about every 5,000+ years. The blocking of the light from the king star Regulus by the Moon, while Jupiter–the scepter of the righteous branch stood still in the heavens, foreshadows a link seen in Psalm 89:1-37, and Genesis 49.
Genesis 49:8-10.
8 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.Figure 5. Total Solar Eclipse on August 21st 2017.#33/Stellarium
On January 20 in 2 BC, Jupiter rose just after sunset (Acronycal rising). During this key phase of Jupiter’s cycle, the full Moon occulted Regulus. This was a facsimile of the event previously in Nov. 3 BC. The king star Regulus was occulted by the Moon while Jupiter is standing still at sunset in the heavens. This event took place in the Hebrew month of Shevat, a name which is taken from the Hebrew word for the ruler’s staff/scepter, [shebet], found in Gen. 49: 10 [scepter] above. The “lawgiver from between his feet” directly references to the king star Regulus in Leo.#34/41
The second conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus occurred on February 17, 2 BC. Amazingly, the Moon was positioned during the exact time between the Jupiter–Regulus union. “At about 5 a.m., looking at the western horizon, an observer would have seen the Moon directly between Jupiter & Regulus. The Moon would have been occulting the star Regulus with the lower fifth of the Moon’s diameter. Then, on May 8/9, 2 B.C. (82 days later) the same conjunction occurred again. This time however, the Moon occulted Regulus by the top 1/5th of its diameter. The last conjunction would not have been seen in Palestine as the Moon was already below the horizon in the west, yet astronomers such as the Magi would have known what was happening.” #35/9 [[Askelm.com] Dr. Earnest Martin]
After the planet’s three separate conjunctions with Regulus, Jupiter then continued its westward journey, as viewed by the Magi. On June 17, 2 BC. it had its spectacularly rare reunion with Venus. The two planets were then a mere .01 degree from one another and they would have appeared to people on earth as a unified “double-star” which only the sharpest eyes would have been able to separate.
As Dr. Martin points out; “These celestial signs including Jupiter’s path lead the Magi toward Jerusalem in their expectations of the arrival of the Messianic king. This dazzling Jupiter–Venus union, heralded an entrance of this foretold king when they were both morning stars about ten months prior, completed this introduction with an impressively rare evening star re-union.” 12 This eye-opening reunion also provided the celestial brackets surrounding the triple coronation of the new born King by Jupiter and Venus. Could the heavenly Father have done any more to announce the arrival of His only begotten Son?
Figure 4. MUL.BABBAR’s first station in Leo at the same moment as a lunar occultation of LUGAL.
MUL.BABBAR’s Acronychal Rising—January 2 BC 170 Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith-Synodic Cycle Sign 3-#36/39
An acronychal rising of a planet or star is its last visible rising in the east just after sunset. Afterwards the object is already visible above the horizon in the eastern sky after sunset. The last visible acronychal rising was always several days before the true planetary opposition. It is impossible to actually see the planet rise above the horizon precisely at sunset. In another segment of the zodiac away from Leo, the Babylonians added 58 days to the date of the first stationary point to get the acronychal rising date for MUL.BABBAR (fg. 5).#37/40
The planet’s actual opposition was on January 26 in 2 BC. But January 24/25,
2 BC, was 58 days after Nov. 27/28, 3 BC (First Station). The acronychal rising was often listed at about the time of true opposition (see Late Babylonian Text—LBAT 1409).#38/41However, according to Swerdlow, Babylonian procedural methods indicate acronychal risings at either 5°, 6° or 2° from true opposition, depending on the method which was employed. The Babylonians usually listed the date of the acronychal rising as “around” a certain date. The Alcyone archaeo-astronomy application, using an “arcus visionis” approach, gives the acronychal rising date as January 20, 2 BC.#39/42
January 20, 2 BC, could have been a possible candidate for MUL.BABBAR’s visible acronychal rising. Again, there was a clear connection to royalty through a simultaneous occultation and a possible Acronychal rising.
Synodic Cycle Sign 4 MUL.BABBAR—Second Stationary Point—
Late March [29th] 2 BC MUL.BABBAR’s second stationary phase was about four months after the first station. During its first and second stationary phase, the planet Jupiter is visually stationary for about two weeks. The Babylonians called the midpoint of that period the stationary point (fg. 6). Technically, Jupiter’s 2nd station was on March 29 in the Spring of 2 BC, [Fig. 4] The station was calculated from the acronychal rising or the first station. In this case, the planet stopped its motion about 2.4° west of Regulus.#40/43
Article
Matthew’s Magi Never Visually Followed a Star Anywhere, But … In the early evening on January 20, 2 BC, when seen from Babylon, the full Moon passed in front of LUGAL/Regulus again, making a second occultation in two months. [Figure 5. MUL.BABBAR’s/Jupiter’s visible acronychal rising.]
On March 31st, MUL.BABBAR/Jupiter set in the west just moments before the
Moon rose in the east. Minutes later, Regulus set as the Moon rose. Could this have been symbolically royal for Babylonian astronomers? Similar incidents involving simultaneous risings and settings of objects were occasionally mentioned in Babylonian astronomical records. They often spoke of “one god seeing another” when referring to similar incidents with the Sun and Moon. On March 31, 2 BC, the Moon could feasibly have been linked with Jupiter’s stationary phase.#41/44Figure 6. The stationary point of MUL.BABBAR.
Synodic Cycle Sign 5-171 Volume 71, Number 3, September 2019
MUL.BABBAR–Heliacal Setting—Late July, 2 BC When MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter)
finally made its heliacal setting in the west at the end of the planetary cycle,
the sun was again in conjunction with LUGAL (Regulus) in the constellation Leo (fg. 7). This would have been about four months from the second station event. The optimum last visibility of MUL.BABBAR seems to have been about 10 or 11 uš after sunset, (40 to 44 minutes after sunset).#42/45 If MUL.BABBAR was last visible at 1° above the horizon, it set six minutes later (47 – 6 = 41 minutes or 10.25 uš).Messianic Implications
The events surrounding MUL.BABBAR’s setting in 2 BC give a near mirror image of the planet’s rising one year earlier. The Alcyone archaeo-astronomy application gives MUL.BABBAR’s last visibility on July 28, if arcus visionis altitudes are the following:
(MUL.BABBAR: +1° / Sun: -7°16′).
July 28, 2 BC, at Babylon. Sunset: 07:03:09 LMT #43/46
Setting of MUL.BABBAR: 07:52:50 LMT
Sun center from Regulus at sunset: 0°21′
Sunset to MUL.BABBAR’s setting = 50 minutes
If MUL.BABBAR was last visible at 1° above the horizon, it set six minutes later (50 – 6 = 44 minutes or 11 uš). July 29, 2 BC, at Babylon #44/47Sunset: 07:02:33 LMT #45/48
Setting of MUL.BABBAR: 07:49:34 LMT
Sun center from Regulus at sunset: 0°57′
Sunset to MUL.BABBAR’s setting = 47 minutesFigure 7. MUL.BABBAR made its heliacal setting in the west at the end of the planetary cycle, while the Sun was in conjunction with LUGAL/Regulus in the constellation Leo.
All the above incidents involved the Sun or Moon as well as MUL.BABBAR and LUGAL. From a Babylonian perspective, there were royal implications to the extended series of unique celestial signs. These events could have been easily associated with the arrival of a truly great king. But such a series of events, all centered on MUL.BABBAR’s synodic cycle, was unknown in their omen catalog. The Magi may have been surprised and questioning. But, from a Jewish view, these incidents could have also called to mind the Messiah. It would not have been impossible for pagan Babylonians to become familiar with Jewish concepts. The Jewish community was a large one in Mesopotamia in the first century BC. Aramaic was the common language in the region. Also, scholars and many others would have spoken Greek. The Greek Septuagint text of the Hebrew Scriptures was available for any who had questions about Jewish beliefs. At some point in Jewish history, the planet Jupiter came to be called “Sedeq” (Tzedek) meaning “righteousness.” The planet Jupiter probably was commonly referred to by this name by about AD 200.#46/49
It may have even carried this name in much earlier generations. The Jewish Messiah was spoken of as the “Righteous One” by early Christians (Acts 3:14; 7:52; and 22:14, Ps. 89:35-37). This referred to the prophesied son of David, the righteous king of Jeremiah 23:5–6 and 33:14–17. Associating “Sedeq” with the king of the Jews would not have been difficult. The Jewish equivalent of LUGAL was the word “Melech” meaning “king.” One can see Messianic implications by linking two names Melech and Sedeq (the king of righteousness–Melchizedek). #47/50
But in addition, LUGAL/Regulus in the lion constellation, evoking memories of Genesis 49:8–10 concerning the young lion of Judah [Rev. 5:5] and the rule of the Shiloh, [Jesus’ 7 Gen. titles] The Messianic text of Psalm 89 also mentions the heavens several times. In the later part of this Psalm we read;
… I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me.
Dwight Hutchison
p. 172 Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
It shall be established forever like the Moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful. (Ps. 89:35–37) 50 Here the enduring nature of the throne of David is associated directly with both the Sun and the Moon.
Each of the five synodic events in 3 and 2 BC were linked with the sun and moon. In addition, remarkably, during two of the three conjunctions of MUL.BABBAR and LUGAL during this same cycle, the Moon was positioned just beside the two “stars” on February 17, 2 BC, and May 8, 2 BC (fig. 8).
Article
Matthew’s Magi Never Visually Followed a Star Anywhere,
But …p. 172In addition, during the relatively spectacular conjunction which visually united MUL.BABBAR (Sedeq/Jupiter) and Dilbat (Venus) on June 17, 2 BC, the full Moon appeared in the east. The Jewish name of Dilbat is “Nogah,” meaning “brightness.” Sedeq and Nogah together evoke the “bright Righteous One” in the lion constellation beside the king star LUGAL Regulus (fg. 9).
By themselves the five signs connected to MUL.BABBAR’s synodic cycle would have been enough to alert any Babylonian astronomer to the probability that something was happening concerning royalty. However, this series of events could have been supplemented by other celestial phenomena and symbolic associations. [Figure 8. Moon positioned beside the two “stars.” Top: February 17, 2 BC; Bottom: May 9, 2 BC.] It may have been many months
before the astronomers came to the conclusion that the unfolding series of celestial events had something to do with the Jewish Messiah. Before the Prophet Daniel’s arrival, the Babylonian Magi may have been complete pagans. However, the repeated and unique celestial signs, with Jewish prophecies and royal symbolism, apparently convinced them. A series of royal celestial signs all connected directly with the synodic cycle of MUL.BABBAR would have been completely unknown. Such a series is not found in the omen texts, but the royal nature of at least three or four of the synodic events is beyond dispute. Based on this series of unique events, one can affirm MUL.BABBAR (Sedeq/ Jupiter), during this unique planetary cycle in 3 and 2 BC became the Messiah’s Star.The Star in the West— Rethinking the Key Text
Explanations of the Star of Bethlehem rise and fall based on the text of
Matthew 2:9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. (NKJV)
Figure 9. During the relatively spectacular conjunction which visually united MUL.BABBAR (Sedeq/Jupiter) and Dilbat (Venus) on June 17, 2 BC in the west, the full moon appeared in the east.
173 Volume 71, Number 3, September 2019, p.173
In recent times, this passage has been interpreted to mean that the star went visually in front of the wise men from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. The eastern church fathers thought that the wise men had visually followed the star all the way from where they had been in the East to Judea and then on to Bethlehem. However, these ideas may not be what Matthew had in mind. In fact, the traditional interpretation of the text of the star as a visual guide may be profoundly in error. There may be an alternate literal reading of the text which can avoid the intellectual, scientific, and mystical puzzles of the traditional reading. One way of understanding Matthew’s text would be to look at other passages in Matthew, which use the same keywords. Matthew uses the Greek verb, προάγω (proago), with the specific meaning of “to precede” or “to go ahead of,” in other passages in his gospel.#48/51 In Matthew 14:22, we read: “[Jesus] made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead (προάγειν) of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away.” Jesus then goes up on a mountain to pray and later meets the disciples on the sea. Jesus was not visually following the disciples at any moment, but he had simply sent them on ahead of him.
During the last supper, Jesus made the following statement: “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you (προάξω) to Galilee” (Matt. 26:32, see also Mark 14:28). After Jesus was raised from the dead, an angel appeared to some of his followers and said to them: “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you (προάγει) into Galilee, there you will see Him …” (Matt. 28:7, see also Mark 16:7).
It is clear that the disciples did not follow Jesus visually to Galilee after the resurrection in the same sense that one usually thinks about the wise men following the star. The disciples arrived chronologically in Galilee after Jesus already had arrived there. Jesus had “preceded” them there. In like manner, the star was waiting for the wise men upon their arrival in Bethlehem, just as Jesus later was waiting for the disciples. The star preceded the Magi to Bethlehem, but not as a visual guide. Matthew 2:9 simply sends the reader back to the East before describing the event in the West.
Bethlehem: A Possible Scenario
While the wise men were in their homeland, the star MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter), in association with other celestial objects, gave several symbolic indications that a great king was certainly arising. The Magi took this as an announcement about the king’s birth. After having received the star’s message, the wise men went to Judea. At every moment during their expedition, the men journeyed during the daytime like normal travelers. The way to Judea was well known. They were not looking to the star for visual guidance because the star’s purpose had been to give a message. The star was a sign concerning the Messiah. It was not a guide. Over a period of months, MUL.BABBAR came to be positioned well above the men’s heads during a good portion of each night. In the days before the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, the star was near to the zenith in the night-time skies. The Magi thought that the star had delivered its royal message while the men had been in the East. They were not expecting any other sign in the West. But after their arrival in Bethlehem itself, the men suddenly realized that the star was again in a symbolically significant position “above the place where the child was” (fg. 10). Dwight Hutchison
On the timeline presented here, the Magi would have unexpectedly arrived in Bethlehem in late December 2 BC. There would have been no reason that the men should have expected any other celestial signs. They never expected to arrive in Bethlehem. But considering their previous experience in the East, it’s not hard to imagine that Jupiter’s stationary point on December 28, 2 BC, could have been symbolically meaningful to them. Volume 71, Number 3, September 2019, end of p. 173#
[Ppg. 229-235, JCPS]
“The Magi’s journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem [after their meeting with Herod], had to occur between Sept. 11th 3, BC, and Herod’s death some time prior to Passover in April of 1 BC. Furthermore, Herod chose to execute the children two years and under, based on the time of the star’s first rising, the time of which he had learned from the Magi when he privately conferred with them. Since the Star’s initial conjunction was Aug. 12th 3 BC, what is recorded in Matt. 2:9 occurred between Sept. of 2 BC, and April of 1 BC, a
7-month period.”
According to astronomical calculations Jupiter was not visible crossing the Meridian, the “high point,” over Bethlehem from Sept. through November of 2 BC. During this time Jupiter was too close to the Sun to be visible when it reached Meridian. However, by Dec. 4th of 2 BC, Jupiter became visible at the Meridian shortly before dawn. From Dec. 4th till Herod’s death before Pass-over on April 8th, Jupiter continued to visibly cross the meridian each night at a progressively earlier time. However, the eclipse that shortly preceded Herod’s death occurred Jan. 9, 1 BC. It was sometime during this five-week period, from Dec. 4th, 2 BC, to Jan. 9, 1 BC that the Magi journeyed from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and saw the star of Matt. 2:9. # p. 235, JCPSThe sky picture that the Magi beheld in their approach to Bethlehem is found in the blog banner for this month as the header for this teaching. Since the star picture of Rev. 12 provides a stellar image that marked the birth of Christ on the eve of Sept. 11th, 3 BC, was visible in the pre-dawn sky of Sept. 12th, 3 BC. The Magi would have departed for Bethlehem from Jerusalem some time after Dec. 4th, 2 BC, as Jupiter was not visible crossing the Meridian over Bethlehem before then for at least the previous three months, so what is recorded in Matt. 2:9 occurred between Sept. of 2 BC and April of 1 BC.
Figure 10. The star was in a symbolically significant position
“above the place where the child was.”
According to the text of “Jesus Christ our Promised Seed” the phrase “came and stood over” in Matt. 2:9 is notable. “Astronomically stars and planets are similar to the Sun in that they rise in the east and set in the west. They are also similar in that they will reach a high point in the sky relative to the observer. At this point it is on the Meridian [longitude] of the observer. During the day, the Sun reaches this point at noon. So the stars and planets in their courses rise in the east, at some point during the night they reach their highest point at Meridian. Since the Magi were travelling South from Jerusalem on their short 5 mile trip towards Bethlehem, Jupiter would appear to stand over Bethlehem. This is not a reference to Jupiter’s station or standstill, it merely reaches its apex at the Meridian of the observer, where it then appears to descend in the western sky. In Matt. 2:9, the word “stood” is “histemi” in the Greek meaning to stand as opposed to rise or fall. Since Jupiter was not visible crossing the Meridian over the high point in Bethlehem from Sept.-Nov. 2 BC, it did not become visible until Dec. 4th of 2 BC, shortly before dawn. From Dec. 4th till Herod’s death before Passover on April 8th, Jupiter continued to visibly cross this Meridian nightly 4 minutes earlier each day. By Dec. 24th Jupiter crossed & stood at the highest point on Meridian, directly over Bethlehem @ 4:44AM, counted from [Paul Neugebauer-Sterntafeln, Leipsic, 1912] [p. 235-7 JCPS]p.174 Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
Matthew’s terminology about the star “standing over the place where the child was” is simply affirming that the star was present in the sky while the men were in the town, it having “preceded” them there. Matthew’s terminology about MUL.BABBAR’s “standing over” the town (and indeed all Judea in the latter part of the night) was not specifically an astronomical reference to the planet’s first station. 52
However, in the context, MUL.BABBAR’s first station may have been symbolically significant celestial event for the Magi while the
planet was located over Bethlehem. While a relatively unspectacular planetary station is not at all impressive for modern skeptics or believers, symbolically it would have recalled the Magi’s experience in the East. If MUL.BABBAR’s first station took place at the moment of their unexpected arrival in Bethlehem, the Magi certainly would have rejoiced, in that the planet’s station was a heavenly sign.Conclusion
The seems to have been connected to symbolic royal celestial events at the heart of Babylonian planetary science. The star was not discovered through the Babylonian omen catalog or their normal astrology. The star over Bethlehem was not spectacular. It was not necessary for the star to be overly luminous or visually remarkable. However, the star was symbolically significant. The wise men never followed the star anywhere visually, but the star was waiting for them upon their arrival in Bethlehem. David’s throne will indeed be established for ages to come, even as the sun and the moon have endured for ages past. The witness in the sky is faithful (Ps. 89:34–37, Ps. 19). ☼ [The Celestial Gospel]Every 12 years the planet Jupiter travels through the constellation Leo. Some incidents in Leo during the years 3 and 2 BC seem to be unique, notably the probable heliacal rising and setting of MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) during that year. The tabular measurements are for Hillah, Iraq (near ancient Babylon / Borsippa). The Babylonians understood that every 83 years Jupiter is basically positioned in the same location among the background stars. The solar conjunctions with Regulus are often spread over two days. A Babylonian measuring unit, the UŠ, was used to measure time/distances. It corresponds to about one degree/four minutes of time in modern terms. the optimum times for the heliacal rising of MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) while the Sun was in conjunction with LUGAL (Regulus). In ancient Babylonia, it would have taken about six minutes for the planet Jupiter to arrive at one degree above the horizon (Columns J + K ) because of the angle its rising. Over the centuries, MUL.BABBAR (Jupiter) rose higher and higher in the morning sky during its 83 year cycle until the planet became visible when the sun was in conjunction with the “king star” LUGAL (Regulus) in 3 BC. A similar pattern played out with the heliacal settings. This seems to be a celestial marker for Jupiter-the King Star & Star of Bethlehem, that only became visible in union with Regulus at the birth of Christ, in 3 BC!!
Notes
1
Webpage https://buff.ly/2HNdDys provides an annotated bibliography of many star interpretations.
2
Colin R. Nicholl, The Great Christ Comet: Revealing the True
Star of Bethlehem (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015).
3
St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew,
Homily 7: Matt. 2:4, 5, sections 3 and 4, http://www
.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0345-0407,_Iohannes
_Chrysostomus,_Homilies_on_The_Gospel_Of_Matthew,
_EN.pdf, 89–92.
4
Concerning the “father god and mother goddess”
theme see Ernest L. Martin, The Star That Astonished the
World, www.askelm.com/star/, chap. 4, paragraph six,
“About the Real Star of Bethlehem”; F. A. Larson, TheStar of Bethlehem, www.bethlehemstar.net/starry-dance
/westward-leading/, first paragraph. I have no personal
animus against either man. Martin has died; I wish Larson
the best.
5
Erica Reiner and David Pingree, Babylonian Planetary
Omens (Groningen, Netherlands: Styx, 1998), 45. Akkad
was a kingdom in the third millennium BC in Mesopota-
mia more or less equivalent to Babylonia.
6
David Pingree, “Astronomy and Astrology in India and
Iran,” Iris 54, no. 2 (1963): 241.
7
Daniel 1:20; 2:2, 10, 27; 4:7; 5:7, 11, 15.
8
Acts 13:6: “… they came upon a certain magician, a Jew-
ish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.” ἄνδρα τινὰ μάγον
ψευδοπροφήτην Ἰουδαῖον.
9
It is almost certain that Matthew would not have been
looking to Herodotus for any information about magi
(Herodotus, Histories 1.101).
10
Kenell J. Touryan, “Dating the Birth of Jesus from the Star
of the Nativity,” PSCF 65, no. 1 (2013): 71.
11
Abraham Sachs and Hermann Hunger, eds., Astronomi-
cal Diaries and Related Texts from Babylonia, vols. 1, 2, 3, 5,
6, and 7 (Wien, Austria: Austrian Academy of Sciences
Press, 1988–2014). One can access much of this material
through: http://www.attalus.org/docs/diaries.html.
12
Hermann Hunger, ed., and including materials by Abra-
ham J. Sachs, Astronomical Diaries and Related Texts from
Babylonia, Vol. VII: Almanacs and Normal Star Almanacs
(Wien, Austria: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press,
2014), 61–63. The original published text has been some-
what modifed for brevity and clarity. A cubit is a distance
of about two degrees. Cubits were divided into 24 fingers.
An astronomical finger was five minutes of arc in modern
terms.
13
For a limited time, the author is making a few pages of
Sachs and Hunger’s almanac for SE 150 (162/161 BC)
available at https://buff.ly/2qiMf30. To translate the
dates into Julian terms use the Babylonian calendar
converter: www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/babylon
/babycal.htm.
14
Mathieu Ossendrijver et al., “Ancient Babylonian Astron-
omers Calculated Jupiter’s Position from the Area under
a Time-Velocity Graph,” Science 351, no. 6272 (January 29,
2016): 482–84.
15
- M. Swerdlow, The Babylonian Theory of the Planets
(Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998), 35.
16
Mathieu Ossendrijver, Babylonian Mathematical Astron–
omy: Procedure Texts (New York: Springer, 2012), 55–109,
207–333.
17
uš is pronounced ‘ush.’
18
Swerdlow, The Babylonian Theory of the Planets, 52.
19
Frederick M. Strickert, Philip’s City: From Bethsaida to Julias
(Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2011), chap. 12.
20
- E. Filmer, “The Chronology of the Reign of Herod the
Great,” The Journal of Theological Studies 17, no. 2 (1966):
283–98; Jack Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology, rev.
- (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2015), 279–
369—the entire section contains relevant material; Dwight
Hutchison, The Lion Led the Way, 3rd ed. and expanded
(St. Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France: Association Signes
Célestes, 2015), 78–104, 298–332; James A. Nollet, “Astro-
nomical and Historical Evidence for Dating the Nativity in
2 BC,” PSCF 64, no. 4 (2012): 211–19—I do not agree with
all of Nollet’s ideas concerning the dating of the Roman
ArticleMatthew’s Magi Never Visually Followed a Star Anywhere, But …
175 Volume 71, Number 3, September 2019
governors; Andrew E. Steinmann, From Abraham to Paul:
A Biblical Chronology (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publish-
ing House, 2011), 219–56; and
———
, “When Did Herod the Great Reign?,” Novum Testamentum 51, no. 1 (2009): 1–29.
21
Emil Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of
Jesus Christ (Charleston, SC: BiblioLife, 2017), 399–427.
22
Aaron Adair, “The Star of Christ in the Light of Astron–
omy,” Zygon 47, no. 1 (2012): 16.
23
Ibid.; and Courtney Roberts, The Star of the Magi: The Mys-
tery That Heralded the Coming of Christ (Franklin Lakes, NJ:
The Career Press, 2007) 120–21. There is at least one clear
example from the end of the first century AD of “in the
east” (Greek dative, singular) as a geographical area, not
a heliacal rising, in the book of 1 Clement 5:5–6.
24
See the example from Reiner and Pingree, Babylonian Plan–
etary Omens.
25
Simo Parpola, Letters from Assyrian Scholars to the Kings
Esarhaddon and Assurbanipal, Part II: Commentary and
Appendices (University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2007),
420–22.
26
Mithradates III and Orodes II ruled about 50 years before
the birth of Christ. But Phraates IV (38–2 BC) and his son
Phrataaces (2 BC–AD 4) ruled at the time of Jesus’s birth.
27
See also the Coins section of the website www.parthia
.com.
28
Ulla Koch-Westenholz, Mesopotamian Astrology: An Intro-
duction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestial Divination
(København, Denmark: Museum Tusculanum Press,
1995), 121.
29
Otto Neugebauer, The Exact Sciences in Antiquity (Mineola,
NY: Dover, 1969), 121; Ossendrijver, Babylonian Mathemat–
ical Astronomy, 145; and Michael R. Molnar, The Star of
Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi (Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers
University Press, 2013). It should be noted as well that
Molnar’s entire star theory is built on invisible incidents
which took place in the solar glare.
30
See a table which demonstrates the relative uniqueness of
these heliacal rising dates at https://buff.ly/2tzHYd0.
31
Abraham Sachs and Hermann Hunger, Astronomical Dia-
ries and Related Texts from Babylonia, Vol. III: Diaries from
164 BC to 61 BC: Texts and Plates (Wien, Germany: Ver-
lag der Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften,
1996), 127. The eighth time is as follows: Jupiter rises (JR):
5:37:21; Sun rises (SR): 6:26:48. Difference = 50 minutes.
Sighting took place at 1 US (50 minutes – 46 minutes = 4
minutes = 1 US). 46 minutes = 11.5 US. The seventh JR:
5:40:13/SR: 6:25:51. Difference 46 minutes = 11.5 US. Ideal
at 10.5 US or 42 minutes.
32
Ibid., 359. There is an error in the text. The dates should
be the seventeenth and eighteenth of the fifth month, not
the seventh and eighth. Earlier Jupiter was invisible, being
only about 3 degrees from the sun.
33
This seems to vary according to the planet’s position in
the zodiac, the angle of the rising, etc.
34
The sun and moon are typically about 30 minutes of
arc in diameter. The planet could be seen at about 1 US
above the horizon. One can download a table with several
recorded and estimated ideal risings of Jupiter at the fol-
lowing address: https://buff.ly/2XjTxTk.
35
The numbers in Babylonian “time/degrees” (uš) are for
Al-Hillah, Iraq (near ancient Babylon).
36
Sunrise is here defined as the lip of the sun crossing the
horizon.
37
See a table which demonstrates the relative uniqueness
of these heliacal rising dates at https://buff.ly/2tzHYd0.
The Alcyone archaeoastronomy program, using “arcus
visionis” concepts, gives similar results although MUL.
BABBAR (Jupiter) would probably be visible one day
later (the 30th) if one allows exactly one degree of alti-
tude before sighting (default variable setting). At 0.99° of
altitude, the planet should have been visible on the 29th,
but visibility was unlikely on the 28th (default variable
setting).
38
Ossendrijver, Babylonian Mathematical Astronomy, 251, 257.
In one part of the zodiac, not including Leo, Jupiter’s sta–
tion was calculated as 123 days from the heliacal rising.
We no longer have the exact formula for the station in Leo.
39
This rough statistical result is the least common multiple
of the synodic period of Jupiter (11.86 years) and the lunar
nodal period (18.6 years) = 11,029.8. But, also, the moon
passes the ecliptic twice near Regulus in 18.6 years. Two
stationary phases of Jupiter should fall in Leo every 11.86
years.
40
Ossendrijver, Babylonian Mathematical Astronomy, 257. In
their procedure texts, the Babylonians calculated syn-
odic events differently according to Jupiter’s place in the
zodiac.
41
Swerdlow, The Babylonian Theory of the Planets, 200–201.
42
- M. Swerdlow, “Acronychal Risings in Babylonian
Planetary Theory,” Archive for History of Exact Sciences 54,
- 1 (1999): 61.
43
Result of using the “default variable” settings assuming
the planet was visible at 1° above the horizon. The planet
was 4°18′ below the horizon when the sun was completely
set. It was one degree above the horizon 30 minutes after
sunset.
44
For example, MUL.BABBAR’s settings in the cuneiform
document LBAT 1409 in 147, 146, 144, and 143 BC indicate
settings from about 9 uš or less to 11 uš (sunset to the set-
ting of MUL.BABBAR). The setting dates are often much
less precise than the rising dates. The word “about” a cer-
tain date is often used in Babylonian documents.
45
The numbers in Babylonian “time/degrees” (uš) are for
Al-Hillah, Iraq (near ancient Babylon).
46
Sunset is here defined as the top lip of the sun crossing
below the horizon (sun completely hidden).
47
The numbers in Babylonian “time/degrees” (uš) are for
Al-Hillah, Iraq (near ancient Babylon).
48
Sunset is here defned as the top lip of the sun crossing
below the horizon (sun completely hidden).
49
Sedeq was the name used by Abba Arikka (AD 175–247),
also called Rav or Rab. See “Babylonian Talmud, Tractate
Shabbat,” www.come-and-hear.com/shabbath/shabbath
_156.html#PARTa. (The reader should see Folio 156a and
Shabbath 156b.)
50
All Bible references unless otherwise indicated are from
the New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: Lockman
Foundation, 1995).
51
In judicial contexts, the verb προάγω (proago) can also
mean “to lead” individuals before authorities. It is used
repeatedly in this sense in the book of Acts (12:6; 16:30;
and 25:26).
52
Babylonian documents often mention planets “standing”
in particular locations during lunar and solar eclipses,
meaning that the planet was present, it was located, or
positioned in the sky during the event.
ASA Members: Submit comments and questions union of Jupiter and Regulus planet d above the eastern horizon at dawn, called heliacal rising. # As they realized this, the began Magi’s first arrival in would have occurred between the June 12th, 3 BC Venus-Saturn union in Taurus and the Aug. 31st, 3 BC Jupiter-Venus union in Leo.