"When Hale-Bopp passes through Orion, the Talmudic sages see this as indicating the destruction of the Earth."
 

Biblical Astronomy

May 1997

Editor - Robert Scott Wadsworth
 

http://www.atlbible.org/astronomy/astronomy1.htm

 
HALE-BOPP IN MAY

The comet Hale-Bopp is still a naked eye object at this writing and will most likely be so through the month of May. Chart 34 shows the path of Comet Hale-Bopp from May 1, 1997, to June 1, 1997. The comet will pass through the horns of Taurus (Messiah, the coming Judge of all the earth), and enter into the constellation Orion (The Coming Prince) on May 19. Hale-Bopp will be in conjunction with the star Betelgeuse (the coming of the branch) on June 1. Betelgeuse is the brightest star in Orion.

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THE TALMUD ON COMETS AND ORION

The following is a excerpt from an e-mail that I received from Dr. William Zambrano on April 9. "According to the November 1995 issue of Sky & Telescope, Comet Hale-Bopp will pass through the mazzaroth (constellations) of Perseus, Taurus, and Orion. The fact that it passes through Orion is a very ominous sign. The Talmud has the following information:

Berachoth 58b - OVER SHOOTING STARS [ZIKIN]. 'What are ZIKIN? Samuel said: A comet. Samuel also said: I am as familiar with the paths of the heaven as with the streets of Nehardea, with the exception of the comet, about which I am ignorant. There is a tradition that it never passes through the constellation of Orion, for if it did, the world would be destroyed. But we have seen it pass through, which made it appear as if it passed through itself. R. Huna the son of R. Joshua said: Wilon was torn asunder and rolled up, showing the brightness of Rakia. R Ashi said: A star was removed from one side of Orion and a companion star appeared on the other side, and the star had crossed over.'

So, when Hale-Bopp passes through Orion, the Talmudic sages see this as indicating the destruction of the Earth."

Keep in mind that the above is "tradition". I found the above of interest to share, and I thank Dr. Zambrano for sharing it with me. Hale Bopp will enter the constellation Orion on May 19, 1997, and exits Orion on June 17, 1997.

I have not yet done a thorough search to see if past comets have passed through Orion. It will take some time. I have thus far found that Halley's Comet passed through Orion in Sept/Oct, 65 A.D. It is difficult to say if the comet was seen with the naked eye at that time. Josephus states that the comet was visible for an entire year, but Josephus is known to exaggerate from time to time. Halley's closest approach to the earth occurred on March 20/21, 66 A.D., during that particular orbit (See the January issue of the Biblical Astronomy newsletter). Halley's Comet passed through Orion on its way in, and Hale-Bopp passes through Orion on its way out.