Is it a Christmas miracle? Scientists have long been exploring the real-life explanations of historical accounts. They even found Santa Claus. Now, scientists are suggesting they have found the Star of Bethlehem.

Featured in the Bible, the Star of Bethlehem coincided with the birth of Jesus Christ. According to the story, the three wise men followed the star to the manger where Baby Jesus was born. Scientists have believed that the star was actually a conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn.

Now, according to research in the Journal of the British Astronomical Association, some researchers believe it was a comet. They found Chinese records of a comet in 5 B.C.E. This could, in fact, be the Star of Bethlehem.

The research study reads, “This study introduces a comet candidate to explain the Star that the Magi associated with the birth of Jesus as described in the biblical book of Matthew. By utilising observations of a comet recorded in Chinese annals in 5 BCE, a novel numerical technique was used to compute an orbit for this comet that could have passed very close to Earth in early June of 5 BCE, exhibiting ‘temporary geosynchronous’ motion.”

Star Of Bethlehem Found

It continues, “This is the first astronomical candidate for the Star ever identified that could have had apparent motion corresponding to the description in Matthew, where the Star ‘went before’ the Magi on their journey to Bethlehem until it ‘stood over’ where the child Jesus was. The study also examines how the Magi may have been influenced by ancient beliefs about comets, as described in Greco-Roman astrological writings, contemporary cuneiform omen texts, and the belief system of astrological geography. There is also a discussion of how this comet candidate corresponds to the chronology of the events surrounding Jesus’ birth.”

Mark Matney, a planetary scientist at NASA, conducted the research into the matter. He said a comet would explain the unique properties of the celestial object. For instance, it rose in the southern sky.

“I remember sitting there saying, ‘Oh, I know one that could do that,'” Matney says.

To the scientist, a comet is the likely answer.

 “A comet could stay in one place if it was basically on a ‘collision course’ with Earth,” Matney says. “That’s exactly what you would expect of an object that’s going to pass very, very close to the Earth.”

However, scientists don’t expect the study to be final say on the topic.

“I’m sure this paper will not be the final word on the Star of Bethlehem, but it seems to be a worthy contribution to forensic astronomy,” says Frederick Walter, an astronomer at Stony Brook University.