The diagram you see here links is relative to an astroNo-mical phenomenon which took place during the year 7 BCE in the zodiacal constellation of Pisces and which was terminating in these days of December of that year.
This diagram can be generated by anyone of you by means of an astroNomical software and refers to the triple conjunction between the two naked-eye-visible planets Jupiter (the royal star) and Saturn (El, the star of Ysra_el). Almost the totality of scholars who studied the question (and I among them) has the opinion that this is the 'star' of the Gospel according to Matthew [Mt 2, 1-2]. As can easily be seen in the diagram [points of minimum of the red curve (note 1)], the three longitude alignments of the planets took place at the following dates:
1) May 29th, 7 BCE,
at about L(geocentric longitude)=351° with a residual angular distance of 59' 6";
2) October 1st,
at about L= 347° with a r.a.d. of 58' 29" and finally
3) December 5th, 7 BCE
at about L=345° with a r.a.d. of 1° 3' 15".
From an astroNomical point of view, this J-S triple conjunction wasn't very particular among other similar conjunctions, because: a) the time interval between the first and the second alignment amounted to more than 4 months while that between the second and the third alignment amounted to only 64-65 days; b) the two planets remained at about one degree of angular distance, that is about the double of the full moon apparent diameter.
On this day (December 21th) the uncommon J-S triple conjunction was practically at its end: Jupiter was newly at the link side (eastwards) of 'its father' Saturn and their angular velocity were such that their angular distance of 1° 25' was growing at the rate of about 3' per night.
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[1 ] For computing technique reasons astronomical software programs indicate with a minus sign (-) the years 'before Christ' or 'Before Common Era, BCE' according to the following rule
- n (softw. programs) = (n + 1) BCE (historical)
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