Tuesday, 2nd December 2008 - 08:20CET

The moon 'cradles a star'

The moon last night covered the planet Venus for over an hour, in an event known as a lunar occultation. James Xuereb, who took this picture, likened it to a moon cradling a star with another looking on, giving it a Christmas feel. Indeed a similar event between Jupiter and Venus in 2 BC may have been the source of the star of Bethlehem story.

See also story in The Times.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

chris sant (on 5/12/08)

anyone interested about astronomy in malta can join the astronomical society of malta who's website is http://www.maltastro.org/home.htm
merry Christmas

Mark Brincat (on 4/12/08)

Nice observation K.Sammut. It does in fact resemble a lot the emblem on Turkey's flag. There might be some link after all.

Marianna Gale Xuereb (on 3/12/08)

Readers who enjoyed this photograph as well as the actual site as seen locally might also like to see the set of pictures at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7759643.stm

enjoy them and A Happy, Healthy, Holy and Peaceful Festive Season to all Good willed people!

Therese Mc Auliffe (on 3/12/08)

It was truly a magical sight , thanks for the pictures and information, tried to take a picture myself but it didn't do it any justice. Pure magic!!!
Therese

alison natalie keeler (on 3/12/08)

what a truly spellbinding sight it was - magical and humbling.

H. A. Farrugia (on 3/12/08)

I was in the vicinity of Maqluba last night at around 5.30 and noted the Amazing sight. The way the moon lit the sky, and the 2 stars around looked marvellous. Thanks for the information regarding this event

Joe Xuereb (London UK) (on 2/12/08)

Wonderful photograph James. But then would you expect anything less from a Xuereb? Being a dabbler in this art myself but nothing near as spiritual. Thank you mate.

K Sammut (on 2/12/08)

This great shot reminded me of Turkey... have you realised the resemblence with the emblem on their flag...who knows there could be something happening there!!! the stars seem to be indicating! or its just coincidence?

lgalea (on 2/12/08)

Peter James
If you care to look carefully you will always see some meteorite every day, but there are periods when they greatly increase in number. They are mostly not bigger than a grain of sand and the light you see is because they burn up when they enter the atmosphere due to the speed at which they are travelling.

Geoff White (on 2/12/08)

I've just noticed that your report refers to the Moon and Venus being accompanied by another "star". The star is, in fact, Jupiter. You mention the possibility that the Christmas star was a similar event, a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, which occurred in 2BC. I share Vincent Galea's view that these wonderful sights don't just happen by chance.

Geoff White (on 2/12/08)

Needless to say it was cloudy here in England, at least in the part of the country where we live. I did see the last occultation of Venus, though, which took place in June 2008.

We watched it in the middle of the afternoon at Qawra with members of the Malta Astronomical Society.

JOHN BORG (on 2/12/08)

NICE SIGHT INDEED!!

NEXT YEAR (2009) IS THE UNESCO INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY

CELEBRATING THE 400 YEARS FROM GALILEO`S INVENTION...THE TELESCOPE

HOW ABOUT A FEW NIGHTS EVERY MONTH WITHOUT STREET LIGHTING!!!! EVEN FEW HOURS 9-12 OR 10-1, THE MALTA ASTRO.SOC. CAN BETTER SUGGEST THE BEST DAYS WEATHER PERMITTING, AN UNPOLLUTED STARRY NIGHT IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC....PLEASE AT LEAST IN 2009

Peter James (on 2/12/08)

Great photo! Are there any reports of shooting stars last night?? I ask because I witnessed what looked like a shooting star. It looked like a meteorite heading straight down to earth.

Edward Zammit (on 2/12/08)

@ Tom McCarthy
Also the Venusians would need a very strong heat supply or they would either freeze to death or catch themselves a very bad cold since the the atmospheric temperature on Venus is 460 °C !! Also the Earth's atmosphere would be quite lethal to them as it mostly made of Carbon dioxide and a wee bit of nitrogen only. So the little ammount of CO2 we have locally would probably leave them gasping for breath and the other gases that are in the atmosphere would lethally poison them :-P So it's best to leave the Venusians in their cosy little toaster and not invite them in our cold little fridge. Merry Christmas to all !! ;-))

James Xuereb (on 2/12/08)

Nice comments indeed. Thanks for the appreciation. A truly wonderful sight !

Tom McCarthy (on 2/12/08)

@Alyson Mitchell...The Venusians would like to visit us but they can't find anywhere to park.

G Bugeja (on 2/12/08)

I was lucky enough to look at the stars yesterday and see this. Thanks for the Times for making me realise what it really was.

Vincent Galea (on 2/12/08)

There are many spectacles of beauty put in place by God.
Nice job of illustrating one of the most awesome :o

Tom McCarthy (on 2/12/08)

Does this occur every year at this time ?

Alyson Mitchell (on 2/12/08)

With all the trouble in the world this sight was humbling, stunning, magnificent and simply out of this world. I wonder what the Venusians think when the look upon our planet?

Cecilia Fenech (on 2/12/08)

I thank you for this story as well as the other one in Times on this subject. I noticed these the past 2 nights I think and did not know what they were

Beautiful!

suzanne (on 2/12/08)

WHAT A FANTASTIC SIGHT.SIMPLY AMAZING.I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE SEEN IT.THANKS FOR THE GREAT PHOTO TOO.

anton pizzuto (on 2/12/08)

The phenomenon was noticed by my 2year 6month grandson Ethan at about 5.00pm when he started pointing to the moon and shouting '"winkle twinkle star'" a truly amazing and beautiful sight !

Edward Zammit (on 2/12/08)

Almost looks like the Turkish flag !

gerald hugh lennon (on 2/12/08)

An absolutely fantastic picture my thanks to you sir.....

Trevor Mallia (on 2/12/08)

Magnificent photo Mr. Xuereb. I was at work at the time and at a certain point it actually seemed to be attached to the lower point of the moon.

Dermot Cullinane (on 2/12/08)

Beautiful beyond words. Thanks to the Times of Malta and the gifted photographer for sharing it with us all.
Dermot Cullinane, Cork, Ireland.

joyce mclaughlin (on 2/12/08)

Beautiful photo. We had snow here in Glasgow last night so didn't get to see this.

stefania vanessa vella (on 2/12/08)

This photo gives you shivers down your spine. Simply Beautiful. What an amazing start to the Christmas month!

D.Pace (on 2/12/08)

Beautiful photo. Well done.

A. Vassallo (on 2/12/08)

It was just a fantastic scene to look at. Nature at its best. Thanks to the Almighty

The moon 'cradles a star'

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