Hello Everyone,
 
I've been following the discussion about possible dates for Jesus birth and death with interest.
Two or three years ago a local professor of astronomy suggested April 17, 5BC as a possible birthdate for Jesus. He based it on this unusual alignment of heavenly bodies along the celestial equator above Jerusalem as shown below (courtesy Your Sky).
The bodies are: Mercury, Mars, Sun, Jupiter(associated with kingship), Moon, Saturn, Venus and Uranus.

Sky above 31°46'48"N 35°13'12"E at Sat -5 Apr 17 8:00 UTC




Our professor said the Magi - probably from Mesopotamia/Babylon - would have been well aware of this alignment though it may not have been obvious to most people on the ground. Herod didn't appear to be aware of it until the Magi arrived. What was even more interesting was its position in Aries - traditionally one of the signs for Judah. That's how they would have known to look there.
http://www.organelle.org/organelle/Alphabetics/hay.html

Position: The Fifth letter. The first of the ‘twelve elementals’ or simples. The second of the ‘three fathers’ (hey vavh yoad) which comprise the Name of God.
Common associations:
Primary Significations: Real. Bestowing Life through emanation. A window.
Secondary Significations: Spiritual beings. The breath of god. The ‘speaking” of the Word by God.
Body: The right foot.
Power: Speech.
Sign: Aries
Archetype / Tribe: Judah

I was blown away when I came across this link to see the other associations on the entry (marked in blue)!

Lastly, I couldn't help but notice that part of the alignment was in the constellation of Pisces - fish - traditionally a symbol of the early church.

YSIC

English Jean