Notre Dame professor explores link between Christmas Star and birth of Christ

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- A special presentation at the planetarium in Notre Dame’s Jordan Hall of Science took attendees into the starry skies above Bethlehem where a Notre Dame professor believes a correlation lies between the birth of Christ and the appearance of the Christmas Star.

Professor of Physics Grant Matthews focused on an Aquila, the constellation where historians believe the Christmas Star could have been a supernova which Matthews argues would be unlikely as supernova events were associated with harsh times.

However, the modern consensus among astrophysicists lies in the constellation of Aries and planetary alignments.

Matthews said zodiac constellations were assigned to geographical locations. Aries happened to rule the lands of Judea – Christ’s believed birthplace.

They say Jupiter came to rest in the constellation during the time which Jesus was born.

In biblical times, it was believed the alignment of Jupiter and the moon in the same sign would spawn a powerful leader with an assigned day of death.

In Matthews’ presentation, all signs pointed to planetary alignment as the link between the Christmas Star and the birth of Jesus but more explanations are being explored by scientists every day.