“Star Of Bethlehem” Visible on June 30th for the First Time in 2,000 Years. | elephant journal
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/06/star-of-bethlehem-visible-on-june-30th-for-the-first-time-in-2000-years/


On June 30th, Jupiter and Venus will be merging into what is known as a super-star.

The conjunction of these two planets has been building throughout the month of June and the result will be a dazzling bright spectacular on June 30th.

Sky & Telescope suggest that a similar rare conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may have been what was known as the “Star of Bethlehem” in 3-2 BC and since then there has not been a brighter, closer planetary conjunction. That means that this is the first opportunity of seeing it so clear for 2,000 years!

Jupiter and Venus are the two brightest planets and are often visible from most large city centres.

Throughout June, in the West it has been fascinating to watch the distance between the planet Jupiter and Venus reducing. Yesterday Jupiter was approximately the width of the moon away from Venus and tonight (June 30) the distance will reduce by half when Jupiter passes directly above Venus.

Venus and Jupiter will appear to be approximately one-third of a degree apart from one another. If we put our little finger up to the sky both planets would disappear behind it.

As the two stars appear to merge together they will look like an extremely bright and brilliant double-star in the night sky.

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon