The Christmas star. The Star of Bethlehem. Whatever you call it, it is a staple of any nativity scene, just as much as the wise men who followed it, usually represented as a bright star or comet above the stable where baby Jesus lies. The idea of the "star" comes from just a few lines of a single gospel of the Bible; still, it has fascinated people, including scientists, for centuries. Was it a real astronomical event ? New research has put forward an intriguing new explanation: a comet with a weird apparent motion. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the magi (wise men) are described as speaking to King Herod: “There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying, Where is he that is born King

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