Triple Conjunction
Triple Conjunction
“There were two astronomical events involving conjunctions of planets around the time of Jesus’ birth—the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in 7 B.C.E. and the near-conjunction of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in Pisces in February 6 B.C.E. A conjunction is when two or more objects appear very close together in the sky. Pisces is associated with the Jewish people in astrology, so when Jupiter and Saturn passed very close to each other three times during the span of several months in 7 B.C.E. it was a notable event. Adding to the significance was that the triple conjunction in Pisces happens about once every 900 years. The first conjunction of the 7 B.C.E triple conjunction occurred in late May….the second conjunction occurred in late September….and the third conjunction appeared in the south towards Bethlehem in early December”
* Mars joined Jupiter and Saturn in the sky in February 6 BC, and still in Pisces.
“The close grouping of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn to within 8 degrees of each other in Pisces occurs only once every 800 years. Jupiter was the “star” of royalty and luck and Saturn was the star of the Mesopotamian deity who protected Israel. Both of these rare conjunctions could have been predicted by the “wise men from the East” and could have been interpreted by them that a great king was to be born in Israel (Herod, king of the Jews at the time and very paranoid about being displaced, was therefore upset at this news).
Ancient astrologers associated Jupiter with royalty or even a ruler of the universe. Saturn was associated with Palestine or even with the deity who protected Israel. And Pisces was associated with the nation of Israel. Later a massing of Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn occurred again in Pisces in 6 B.C. It seems feasible then that this triple conjunction followed by the massing of the three planets in Pisces could indicate to the magi that a King of Israel and a Ruler of the Universe was about to be born in Israel.”
*We know that this 7 BC triple conjunction was important to Babylonian astronomers since a clay tablet, the Star Almanac of Sippar, has been found about 30 miles north of Babylon, which refers in detail to this triple conjunction, and the tablet has been positively dated to 7 BC.
‘Second year of the Chien-p’ing reign period, second month [5 BC, March 9-April 6], a suibsing appeared at Ch’ien-niu for over 70 days.’
Han shu, the official history of the former Han dynasty [206 BC-AD 9]