Q & A: UNRAVELING THE CHRISTMAS STAR MYSTERY
1. Q: When did you become interested in astronomy?
A: As a child. When my family would sit in the back yard at night to talk, we would watch for the first star to make a wish. Then I would lie on the grass and watch the rest of the stars appear.
2. Q: Do you remember any specific astronomy events as a child?
A: I loved watching the brilliance of the Milky Way and changing moon phases. I remember thinking shooting stars were space ships moving from star to star.
3. Q: What gave you the idea to research the Christmas star
A: I’m curious by nature and enjoy researching answers to questions. Since I’m Christian and love astronomy, it was a logical quest. What really gave me the incentive was when I received 68-NASA astronomy computer programs. That was unexpected and awesome!
4. Q: What was difficult for you during this research?
A: In my ignorance, I thought just finding a significant celestial event would answer my question. I didn’t take into account the fact that the sky event had to correlate with the symbols and symbolism interpretations used by the ancient astronomers. That correlation added a tremendous amount of study.
5. Q: Where did you find that ancient symbol information and references?
A: After studying books and reference material about ancient astronomy symbols and symbolism at my local library, I turned to the reference librarians to borrow books on that subject from all over the United States. I had ended up with almost 100-references that are listed in my book.
6. Q: How long did your research take?
A: The sky survey took about three-years. As a single mother working full time, I ran the astronomy computer programs at night. I graded papers and prepared school lessons when some of the computer calculations took hours for one digital request. Much time was spent trying to find the correct programs in order to duplicate my findings. Being a science professional I knew any experiment had to be duplicated successfully to be considered acceptable. The research for the ancient symbolic interpretations of the celestial events took a lot of concentrated study.
7. Q: How did you feel when you found the Christmas star?
A: I was thrilled when everything came together. It was so fulfilling to find the event correlated with the ancient astronomical symbols.
8. Q: Was the Christmas star actually a star?
A: The astronomers of Christ’s time observed that some of the “stars” moved in the heavens. They called these bright pinpoints of moving light “wandering stars.” The Christmas star was a “wandering star.” Therefore in the Holy Bible, the Christmas event object was called a star. Today, we call them planets.
9. Q. I understand you found other significant astronomy events concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. Can you tell me about them?
A: In searching the predawn skies, I discovered nine other celestial events occurring just prior to the actual Christmas star. Two thousand years ago, every light in the sky was believed to be a god. When the movements of these other gods, interpreted from ancient symbols, showed them bowing before the new God, the astronomers would have known the new God was going to be the greatest God in the universe.
10. Q: How was the Christmas star interpreted?
A: The purpose of the Christmas star, as stated in the Bible, predicted the geographical location of the holy birth. Using the ancient interpretations, I concluded the other events predicted the new God to be born on Earth and would become greater than any god before Him. He would become the greatest God in the universe. The actual Christmas star was just a position marker. After the event had been announced in the skies, the Christmas star showed the birth location.
11. Q: How would that have affected the ancient astronomers?
A: They probably trembled with excitement. They knew the greatest God to ever be born in the universe would be born during their lifetime. Observing and studying the stars as they did, they knew years in advance what would occur. Following tradition, they would have advised their rulers of the event. That would have begun preparations for diplomatic visits to the birthplace. The new God would be greeted by emissaries representing the kingdoms and presented gifts to honor Him. The emissaries/wisemen visiting the new God, Jesus Christ, were perhaps the first gentiles to honor and worship Him.
12. Q: In your opinion, why were the emissaries called wisemen?
A: In the present day, astronomers are considered among the most intelligent scientists. In ancient times, they were the most learned men of their kingdoms. They were most likely called wisemen due to their brilliance.
The ancient astronomer priests were the only educated men in their kingdoms. There were no schools other than their temples.
Other names given the wisemen over the years have included alchemist, astronomer, astrologer, cosmologists, magi, magician, mathematician, priest, sky watcher, and wizard.
13. Q: What computer programs did you use?
A: I began with the 68-computer programs NASA sent me. I assumed they were authored by NASA astronomers and mathematicians. I had often requested that the NASA education departments send me free data sheets, photographs, posters, booklets, and anything they had to offer that I could use in my high school astronomy classes. When I received the unexpected computer programs, I was on cloud nine! They were received on two different days, several days apart. I didn’t even know they had astronomy computer programs. It would be logical for them to have astronomy programs. They would have to know where all the moons and planets were at any point in time in order to accurately send their robots or rovers to those locations.
My students used the programs for class studies and independent research during their study halls or after school. I used them to learn everything I could. It was wonderful to have access to such knowledge.
14. Q: How many years of sky history did you survey?
A: Since the numbering of our years supposedly began with Christ’s birth, I thought I should find the event near the year 1 A.D. Since that original date was not considered accurate by Bible scholars, I began my research with the year 7 B.C. and ended with 7 A.D.
15. Q: Were you looking for a star or something else?
A: The astronomy facts which I presented in my book prove several things. The Christmas star was not a nova, an exploding star. No comets have been found that correlate with that date and position. So I was looking for something the ancient astronomers would have believed to be a star.
16. Q: How would you know if you found the Christmas star?
A: It’s an important fact that astronomers of 2,000-years ago used predawn for their observations. Therefore, the brilliant event had to appear in the predawn hours exactly over the Judean city of Bethlehem. I used the latitude and longitude of Bethlehem and 6:00 AM in that time zone as my search prerequisites. Anything I found had to fit within those parameters.
17. Q: What did you do when you finally found the Christmas star?
A: I was so excited; I wanted to let everyone know about it. I corresponded with the director of a planetarium in Germany who requested my results in addition to others here in the United States. My scientific research proved the Holy Bible was true. I wanted to share that fact with the world.
18. Q: Why didn’t you publish your research results at that time?
A: I was working on my Masters degree and had little time for outside endeavors. Many events, personal and professional, interfered with my publishing goal. I had recorded my data and kept all the print outs in a large binder. It wasn’t until 2010 that I began to put it into a publishing format.
19. Q: Do you have any regrets about the publishing delay?
A: No. I rely on my Heavenly Father to guide me in my endeavors and thank Him for my accomplishments. Someday I’ll understand the reason why everything happened as it did.
20. Q: What would you like everyone to know about this research?
A: There are several things I would like readers to remember.
1. I have proven that the birth event of Jesus Christ as written in the Bible is scientific fact. The Christmas star marking the geographical position of Christ’s birth DID happen.
2. During this research, additional celestial events were discovered that occurred just prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. Using their same symbols, symbolism, and interpretations, it was my conclusion that the ancient astronomers were being shown how powerful the new Earth-born God would become. That's most likely why the wisemen were sent to honor the new God.
3. Over 60-NASA astronomy computer programs were used to locate the Christmas star that occurred exactly over Bethlehem of Judea at the time of day when the ancient astronomers would have surveyed the sky. This location was determined using the correct latitude/declination and longitude/right ascension for that geographical position.
4. With their knowledge, the ancient astronomers would have been able to predict the movements of the stars years in advance. This would have given the emperors, kings, and rulers plenty of time to plan the excursions of caravans traveling to Bethlehem.
5. The astronomy information contained in this book is fact and historical in nature. This research will not go out of date.
6. Readers report they have verified information presented in the book through investigations with their astronomy computer programs. Others are sincerely encouraged to complete their own research on the subject. I will appreciate learning of their results.