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Stars and Astronomy in Biblical eras

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
edited November 2011 in All Encompassing Trip
So im hoping the astronomers and science freaks among us can answer this. The Bible talks about the magi, following a Star which led them to the manger where jesus was born.

My question is this. What did the sky look like during that time, which is between 7 and 2 BC? Was the night sky much different than the one we gaze at in 2011? Were there more stars then? or now? Im assuming since large buildings, sky skrapers, cars, electricity, and major bright places like Paris, NY, Tokyo, LA, Las Vegas didnt exist back then, the night sky was much easier to see, and the stars would have possibly appeared the way the las vegas strip appears to us now?
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Comments

  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,953
    Google image "Night sky without light pollution"
    350x700px-LL-d2f49cb4_vinyl-needle-scu-e1356666258495.jpeg
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Get away from light pollution today, and you would be surprised by the number of stars can see on a clear night....will never forget looking west from Monteverde, Costa Rica on a clear night......the sky was full of stars
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • 8181 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
    tybird wrote:
    Get away from light pollution today, and you would be surprised by the number of stars can see on a clear night....will never forget looking west from Monteverde, Costa Rica on a clear night......the sky was full of stars


    yup....

    teh night sky in chicago land sucks.
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Probably not much different than now. Stars take billions of years to die out. There might be a few new stars now and stars then there aren't today, but not much different in a few thousand years. Humans have been mapping the stars long before the Biblical eras.


    Less light pollution would definitely make them more visable. Being close to a big city like Chicago ruins it for me. My best viewing was during a new moon in Wisconsin on a clear night, but even just humidity of midwestern summers can hamper the view. Still could make out the cloud the milky way makes and saw a few satellites.


    I can only immagine seeing the stars in a dessert in the middle of no where. Must be amazing!
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    81 wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    Get away from light pollution today, and you would be surprised by the number of stars can see on a clear night....will never forget looking west from Monteverde, Costa Rica on a clear night......the sky was full of stars


    yup....

    teh night sky in chicago land sucks.


    much like everything else in chicagoland. :P 8-)
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    Great questions OP ... rising in the east last night was a very bright star

    The stars in Bermuda were like nothing I had seen in my life

    when I look at the night sky here in Atlanta I know the sky is full ...
    stars that I cannot see so I imagine what I remember from the Bermuda sky.

    Last night the sky was blacker than it has been as of late, no moon or a late moon
    perhaps.

    We had the twinkling Christmas lights covering the yard and deck
    it was a beautiful addition to the night sky :D

    here is one good link I've used to find out what planet I am seeing

    http://earthsky.org/tonight
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