Home > Astronomical History, Conjunction, Ephemeris Program, Planetrary grouping > Ephemeris: 12/23/2025 – An alternate possibility of the Star of Bethlehem

Ephemeris: 12/23/2025 – An alternate possibility of the Star of Bethlehem

December 23, 2025

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Tuesday, December 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:06, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:18. The Moon, halfway from new to first quarter, will set at 8:40 this evening.

Many writers of the early church place Jesus’ birth around 2 BC, which had to be before Herod the Great’s death, which I suggest was in 1 BC marked by a total lunar eclipse, rather than the 4 BC partial lunar eclipse, normally accepted. In 3 and again in 2 BC there were star-like conjunctions or apparent joining of the planets Jupiter and Venus against the backdrop of the constellation of Leo the Lion. A lion is related to Judah, son of Jacob by a blessing the latter gave his sons in Genesis. The first conjunction occurred in the morning sky of August, 3 BC. In June the next year the two planets got together again, in the evening sky, just after Jesus would have been born in the lambing season, when shepherds would be guarding their flocks at night.

The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EST, UT – 5 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.

Addendum

August 12, 3 BC conjunction
Here is an animation created using Stellarium of Jupiter and Venus, the brighter of the two seeming to coalesce on August 12, 3 BC in the early morning twilight.
The second appearance of the "Star"
On June 16th 2 BC, this time in the evening, Venus and Jupiter seem to coalesce as one, at least to the naked eye.
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