The âStar of Bethlehemâ is an iconic presence in the Christmas holiday season, and has been for almost two millennia. Whether in religious or mass cultural observance, during Christmastide the star referred to Biblically only in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1-2, 9-10) hovers over crèches, decorates wreaths and trees, and has thousands of iterations in both fine art and commercial art, including Christmas cards. It would be hard to quantify the serious academic books and articles devoted to the Matthean account of a star associated with the birth of Jesus. Then there is additional literature driven by missionary zeal to convert the reader to a particular religious commitment. The total figure of publications is perhaps astronomical! Speaking of which, astronomers who concede that an actual…
