Was the STAR of Bethlehem a comet?

This a rather off-the-wall reply to the topic OP. But...

Several years ago there was a sighting of a UFO over the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
It was considered a UFO (unidentified flying object) meaning, they didn't know what it was.
Not that it was determined to be an extra-terrestrial craft. It appeared high in the night sky over
the Dome of the Rock and slowly descended until it hovered right above it.
Then it flashed brightly and disappeared moving straight upward at incredible speed.
The sight was caught on video from three different locations simultaneously.

Anyway, it got me to thinking about the Bethlehem star and what we are told about it in scripture.
I always wondered how you could look up in the sky, spot a star and determine that it was directly over something.
The stars just seem too far away to do that. But when I saw the Dome of the Rock UFO, it occurred to me that
this is the sort of thing that would be described as a star by those in the first century, but it would be
near enough to earth to actually point a traveler to a specific city.

Right.
It looked like a star, but was doing some things we usually don't associate with stars.
I can't imagine following a star. They are too high up and how could you pick one and follow it?
And could it accurately point to a city? Too high up in the sky. Something that looked like a star but
was closer to the ground would work better and fit the biblical description.

This tracks with what I am seeing here as well. Thanks.

I think it was the choir bus for the heavenly hosts that sang to the shepards.
All lit up like a Christmas tree. lol

The wise men from the east saw it flying in from heaven.

your looking at only one book out of the four,

eight days the child was circumcised, and as well Mary had purification to preform before entering the temple in Jerusalem, after they completed all that was required they went home to Nazareth. they didn’t have a house in Bethlehem, they only went there for it was the town of the lineage of the house of David in which Joseph was apart of. yes Herod sent them to Bethlehem but it was the star that led them to their house in Nazareth.

Lk2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
Lk2:2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
Lk2:3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
Lk2:4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
Lk2:5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
Lk2:6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
Lk2:7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels Luke 2:8~21

Lk2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Lk2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
Lk2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Lk2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Lk2:12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Lk2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Lk2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Lk2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
Lk2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Lk2:17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
Lk2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Lk2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Lk2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

11€ Jesus presented in the temple
Luke 2: 21~39

Jesus Presented in the Temple Luke 2:21~39

Lk2:21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Lk2:22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
Lk2:23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"
Lk2:24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
Lk2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Lk2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Lk2:27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Lk2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
Lk2:29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
Lk2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Lk2:31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
Lk2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
Lk2:33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
Lk2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
Lk2:35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
Lk2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
Lk2:37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Lk2:38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Lk2:39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

12€ Before the Escape To Egypt
Matthew 2:23

Mt2:23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

13€ The Magi Visit Jesus
Matthew 2: 1~12

The Visit of the Magi ~ Matthew 2:1~12

Mt2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
Mt2:2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
Mt2:3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Mt2:4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
Mt2:5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
Mt2:6 "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'
Mt2:7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Mt2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
Mt2:9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
Mt2;10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Mt2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
Mt2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

14€ Joseph takes Jesus and Mary to Egypt
Matthew 2: 13~18

The Escape to Egypt ~ Matthew 2:13~14_16~18

Mt2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
Mt2:14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

Mt2:16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Mt2:17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
Mt2:18 "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

The Return to Nazareth ~ Matthew 2:19_15_20~22

Mt2:19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
Mt2:15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Mt2:20 and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
Mt2:21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.
Mt2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,


16€ Jesus at the temple when Twelve years old
Luke 2: 40~52

The Boy Jesus at the Temple Luke 2:40~52

Lk2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Lk2:41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
Lk2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
Lk2:43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Lk2:44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
Lk2:45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
Lk2:46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Lk2:47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Lk2:48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
Lk2:49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
Lk2:50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Lk2:51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Lk2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.


Mk1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mt11:25 At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Mk1:11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Ok What else would it be.
The star of the east is in matthews gospel, but in Luke at the time of Jesus birth in Bethlehem there is no star mentioned but...Luke 2:9 we read

And lo and behold, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Note...the glory of the Lord. Was it his shekinah glory? And this was at night while the shepherd were keeping watch, also note elswhere in the Bible seven stars are mentioned in .revelation 1 meaning angels of seven churches. Are the angels so bright that their glory can be seen from afar appearing like a star in the heavens? Are not angels heavenly bodies and do they glow...?

Note when Jesus was transfigured, he was so bright that Peter and John were transfixed on the mountain top. When Paul was on the road to damascus, he was blinded by a bright light.

Right.
If you could see a shining angel in the sky you might describe it as a star.

it was a guiding light, from the same who guided these folks out of the wilderness.

Exodus 13
20They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel by day or night. 22Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.

O yea Lanolin just to give you a heads up, you mentioned Luke 2:9 that is of the shepherds not the magi the star was shown to the magi not everyone.

The shepherds were actually IN bethlehem the night of Jesus birth and would have seen the star as it was right over them!

Yea especially from a distance.

No it wasn’t revealed to them, God can reveal things to one person and not another right in front of both of them.

There is no limit to what God is capable of doing. Indeed God can pull a tiny white dwarf star from across the universe and place it in the backyard of someone’s home on earth, if He so chooses to do so.

I am theorizing that the "star" may have been the angels. So, that would be for both.
The star came to the shepherds.

Well the star wasn’t seen by the shepherds, though God did send angels to them. the star from the helix nebula was a temporary creation a short lived star for that purpose.

To believe or not to believe is the question.

I would suggest the light was like the glory that encompassed the face of Moses coming down from the Holy place Mt Sinai which he veiled with a mask.

The light of the gospel . Having nothing to do with stargazers . Looking at the creation was not one of the options as a counsel from God. It was not a form of prophecy .

Isaiah 47:13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

i think a comet is a very plausible explanation. it would have been seen as a very important event for astronomers of the time, seen from all over, and give a definite directional reference to someone attaching meaning to it. this is unlike other 'natural' explanations like alignment of planets with constellations etc.

comets don't necessarily return -- they can be in parabolic orbits, so that they only appear in our sky exactly once, ever.
which is to say, we may be barking up the wrong tree if we're looking for some regularly-appearing object like Haley's comet to match up with Christ's birth, for example.

here's a page with some historical information from Asian sources about a comet sighted around 4 or 5 BC

http://www.observadores-cometas.com/cometas/Star/Visibility_Star.htm