Celestial alignments? Virgo and Revelation 12
For over a year I've heard of the the coming alignment of the sun, moon, stars in Leo, along with Jupiter and several of the local planets, coming into proximity/alignment with the constellation Virgo.
Here's a description of the event, compared with Revelation 12:
(Green arrows show the “9” stars of Leo. Blue arrows show the planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Red arrow is Jupiter. Violet arrow is the moon (shown enlarged). The sun is at Virgo’s shoulder. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
Something to be aware of regarding the constellation Virgo is it appears in the northern hemisphere in late April and early May and by late August or September the constellation descends to where it becomes visible to the southern hemisphere the rest of the year.
This provides an interesting question: Is Virgo actually visible from both hemispheres, even for a short time, on September 23, 2017?
A fact to be aware of is the sun is in constellation (or near it) Virgo in September. And, because of the moon's orbit, it regularly finds itself in the constellation as well. So, if the sun is where the constellation is, does it make sense for the constellation to be a sign if we can't see it?
Another question, when you consider the regular rotations, and revolutions of the earth, moon, and planets, is this event on September 23, 2017, really as unique as many on the internet claim it to be?
The truth is: no. This alignment with the sun, moon, and planets at Virgo, along with the stars of Leo (there are actually more than 9 stars in Leo), has happened before.
(The constellation Virgo on September 23, 2017, according to the Stellarium sky software. The moon’s size is exaggerated for visibility. See the annotated image below. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
Here is a link to an article called Biblical signs in the sky?, by an astronomer regarding this coming event: http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017
According to this astronomer, he researched this particular alignment and found that in the past 1,000 years it has happened at least four times, in 1827, 1483, 1293, and 1056. All of the same astronomical bodies are in visible, although their positions may not be exactly the same. The astronomer didn't bother to go back further in time.
In other words, this celestial event happening on September 23, 2017, is not as unique as sites on the internet will have you believe.
While I was feeling good about not getting swept up into the hype, even though the celestial alignments are interesting, the year 1827 jumped out at me.
Joseph Smith received the plates from the angel Moroni on September 22, 1827.
Could there be any significance with the word of God (the iron rod, or rod of iron), contained in the Book of Mormon, being delivered to the first prophet of the latter-day dispensation at, or near, this celestial alignment?
September 22, 1827, was the first day of the Feast of Trumpets (https://www.lds.org/ensign/2000/01/the-golden-plates-and-the-feast-of-trumpets?lang=eng).
(The constellation Virgo on September 24, 1827, according to Stellarium. In this and the images below, the moon’s size is exaggerated for visibility. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
I installed Stellarium and did a search back to September 22, 1827, and this is the image I got (roughly in the 11 AM hour, I'm not sure when Joseph received the plates).
Note the moon is not at the feet, but Jupiter is within the constellation. The other planets and Leo are also in similar places. I have the atmosphere turned off in the application so the sun doesn't wash out the constellations. That means the reality is you would not be able to see the constellation because it is daylight.
There are some sites who claim September 23, 2017, is a Jewish holy day, the Feast of Trumpets. From my understanding, the evening of September 20 and all day Sep 21, corresponds to 1 Tishrei, which is Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish New Year. In the Bible, this day is known as the Feast of Trumpets. At the end of those 10 days is Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement.
Rosh Hashana is now two-day celebration, although prior to 70 AD it was only a one-day celebration and in some places was still celebrated as such into the 13th century. The biblical name is Yom Teruah, or "day of shouting/blasting" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah)
So, if Rosh Hashana (the "head of the year") is the same as the Feast of Trumpets, then that day occurs on September 20-21, 2017, and not on September 23. Even if we consider the holiday as a two-day celebration it would end at sunset on September 22.
As a side note, the Day of Atonement happens on September 30 of this year.
It is important to note that Jewish holidays correspond to different dates on the common Gregorian calendar. So, Rosh Hashana does not always occur on September 21. In 2016 it was on October 3. In 2018 it will be on September 10.
Some sites also mention that this year, 2017, corresponds to the Jewish year 5777. That is only partly true. Up until sunset September 20, 2017, it is the Jewish year 5777. Then it becomes 5778.
To some, the year 5777 has some significance. However, it is my opinion--based on some research of Jewish historical events and when they occurred according to general history, the Book of Mormon, and Jewish history--that the Jewish calendar year is off by many years. I can't remember how many years as I did this calculation a couple of years ago and I don't have the numbers immediately accessible. It was a considerable number of years and not just a few. This is understandable considering the many years of captivity and the scattering among nations. Then as they have slowly begun gathering and returning to Israel there had to be some consensus about the calendar.
The short of it is, the Jewish year is off and it cannot be used as an actual, verifiable year.
Here's a description of the event, compared with Revelation 12:
"On September 23, 2017 the sun will be in the zodiac constellation Virgo — “a woman clothed with the sun”. The moon will be at the feet of Virgo — “with the moon under her feet”. The ‘nine’ stars of the zodiac constellation Leo, plus three planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), will be at the head of Virgo — “on her head a crown of 12 stars”. The planet Jupiter will be in the center of Virgo, and, as the weeks pass after September 23, Jupiter will exit Virgo to the east, past her feet, so to speak — “She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth”. Jupiter is the largest of the planets, the “king” of the planets, so to speak — “She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod”. (http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
(Green arrows show the “9” stars of Leo. Blue arrows show the planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Red arrow is Jupiter. Violet arrow is the moon (shown enlarged). The sun is at Virgo’s shoulder. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
Something to be aware of regarding the constellation Virgo is it appears in the northern hemisphere in late April and early May and by late August or September the constellation descends to where it becomes visible to the southern hemisphere the rest of the year.
This provides an interesting question: Is Virgo actually visible from both hemispheres, even for a short time, on September 23, 2017?
A fact to be aware of is the sun is in constellation (or near it) Virgo in September. And, because of the moon's orbit, it regularly finds itself in the constellation as well. So, if the sun is where the constellation is, does it make sense for the constellation to be a sign if we can't see it?
Another question, when you consider the regular rotations, and revolutions of the earth, moon, and planets, is this event on September 23, 2017, really as unique as many on the internet claim it to be?
The truth is: no. This alignment with the sun, moon, and planets at Virgo, along with the stars of Leo (there are actually more than 9 stars in Leo), has happened before.
(The constellation Virgo on September 23, 2017, according to the Stellarium sky software. The moon’s size is exaggerated for visibility. See the annotated image below. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
Here is a link to an article called Biblical signs in the sky?, by an astronomer regarding this coming event: http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017
According to this astronomer, he researched this particular alignment and found that in the past 1,000 years it has happened at least four times, in 1827, 1483, 1293, and 1056. All of the same astronomical bodies are in visible, although their positions may not be exactly the same. The astronomer didn't bother to go back further in time.
In other words, this celestial event happening on September 23, 2017, is not as unique as sites on the internet will have you believe.
While I was feeling good about not getting swept up into the hype, even though the celestial alignments are interesting, the year 1827 jumped out at me.
Joseph Smith received the plates from the angel Moroni on September 22, 1827.
Could there be any significance with the word of God (the iron rod, or rod of iron), contained in the Book of Mormon, being delivered to the first prophet of the latter-day dispensation at, or near, this celestial alignment?
September 22, 1827, was the first day of the Feast of Trumpets (https://www.lds.org/ensign/2000/01/the-golden-plates-and-the-feast-of-trumpets?lang=eng).
(The constellation Virgo on September 24, 1827, according to Stellarium. In this and the images below, the moon’s size is exaggerated for visibility. Image via Christopher M. Graney. http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017)
I installed Stellarium and did a search back to September 22, 1827, and this is the image I got (roughly in the 11 AM hour, I'm not sure when Joseph received the plates).
Note the moon is not at the feet, but Jupiter is within the constellation. The other planets and Leo are also in similar places. I have the atmosphere turned off in the application so the sun doesn't wash out the constellations. That means the reality is you would not be able to see the constellation because it is daylight.
There are some sites who claim September 23, 2017, is a Jewish holy day, the Feast of Trumpets. From my understanding, the evening of September 20 and all day Sep 21, corresponds to 1 Tishrei, which is Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish New Year. In the Bible, this day is known as the Feast of Trumpets. At the end of those 10 days is Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement.
Rosh Hashana is now two-day celebration, although prior to 70 AD it was only a one-day celebration and in some places was still celebrated as such into the 13th century. The biblical name is Yom Teruah, or "day of shouting/blasting" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah)
So, if Rosh Hashana (the "head of the year") is the same as the Feast of Trumpets, then that day occurs on September 20-21, 2017, and not on September 23. Even if we consider the holiday as a two-day celebration it would end at sunset on September 22.
As a side note, the Day of Atonement happens on September 30 of this year.
It is important to note that Jewish holidays correspond to different dates on the common Gregorian calendar. So, Rosh Hashana does not always occur on September 21. In 2016 it was on October 3. In 2018 it will be on September 10.
Some sites also mention that this year, 2017, corresponds to the Jewish year 5777. That is only partly true. Up until sunset September 20, 2017, it is the Jewish year 5777. Then it becomes 5778.
To some, the year 5777 has some significance. However, it is my opinion--based on some research of Jewish historical events and when they occurred according to general history, the Book of Mormon, and Jewish history--that the Jewish calendar year is off by many years. I can't remember how many years as I did this calculation a couple of years ago and I don't have the numbers immediately accessible. It was a considerable number of years and not just a few. This is understandable considering the many years of captivity and the scattering among nations. Then as they have slowly begun gathering and returning to Israel there had to be some consensus about the calendar.
The short of it is, the Jewish year is off and it cannot be used as an actual, verifiable year.
Comments
Post a Comment