Biblical Astronomy

February 2007

 

Editor – Robert Scott Wadsworth <> P.O. Box 2272, Oregon City, OR 97045

Phone (503) 655-7430 <> e-mail – starguy1@comcast.net <> Website – www.biblicalastronomy.com

 

 


NEW MOON REPORT

 

Nehemia Gordon from Jerusalem, Israel compiled the following New Moon Reports for January 2007, the Eleventh Biblical Month; and February 2007, the Twelfth Biblical Month.

 

January - “On Saturday January 20, 2007 the moon was not sighted from Israel.  Observers across Israel reported heavy clouds and rain.  With 2.85% illumination and 88 minutes lag time, visibility would have been certain had there not been clouds.  Therefore, for those who observe based on “potential visibility” the new month begins this evening (Saturday evening).”

 

February – “Moon Not Seen, Heavy Clouds - On Sunday February 18, 2007 observers across Israel searched for the new moon but it was not sighted.  Heavy cloud coverage was reported across the Land.”

 

The next new moon (most likely the New Moon of the Abib) should be sighted near sunset on March 20, 2007.  The March/April issue of Biblical Astronomy will be published and mailed at that time (March 21) to coincide with the Spring feasts.  Notable celestial events occurring before March 20 will be covered in this issue (February 2007) of Biblical Astronomy.  There’s a whole lot of shaken goin on.

 

 

COMET MCNAUGHT UPDDATE

 

Comet McNaught put on a great show before leaving the Northern Hemisphere around January 12, 2007, as it reached a peak brightness of –5.2, which was about 2.5 times brighter than Venus and over 15 times brighter than Comet Hale-Bopp was at its brightest in the Spring of 1997.                                  

 

Comet McNaught went on to put a spectacular show for the Southern Hemisphere.  The comet was still a naked eye object at magnitude 5.0 as of February 20, 2007.  After leaving Sagittarius in late January, the comet passed through constellations in the Southern Hemisphere that are not of the original 48 constellations of the Mazzaroth and have no known Biblical meanings.

           

The below photograph of Comet McNaught was taken by Rob Dridan from Naracoorte, South Australia at 9:03 pm on January 24, 2007.

 

 

 

SATURN AT OPPOSITION

 

 The planet Saturn came into opposition on February 10, 2007.   When an outer planet reaches opposition it is on the opposite side of the earth than the sun, or 180 degrees from the sun and very near its closest approach to the earth for the year.  The planet is also seen at its brightest for the year at that time.

           

The chart below shows the position of Saturn above the feet of the Lion (Arieh) at the time of its opposition.

 

 

The lion represents the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and Saturn represents Satan in the war between the woman and the woman’s seed against the serpent and the serpent’s seed.  The lion’s feet are over the head of the serpent Hydra about to descend upon it and crush it.

 

On this same date of Saturn’s opposition, Mercury and Venus were high in the evening sky and shining brightly in the constellation Aquarius (Deli), which represents God’s blessings being poured forth on His people.  Mercury (Gabriel) was in the water urn and Venus (the Bright and Morning Star) in the water flow representing the blessings of Yahweh being poured forth to His people through His Son the bright and morning star Y’shua.  Zedek (Jupiter) was in Scorpio, which represents the war between the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed.  Mars (represents Michael or War) was in Sagittarius, the conqueror going forth conquering and to conquer.  This is the constellation that the super-bright Comet McNaught passed through in January (see last month’s issue of Biblical Astronomy for more details)

 

 

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

 

There will be a total eclipse of the moon on the evening of March 3/4, 2007 that will be visible in Europe, Africa and the eastern through mid-west United States and North America.  The eclipse will be seen in its entirety in Europe and Africa.  The moon will rise in the eastern U.S. with the eclipse already underway.  The total eclipse runs from 5:44 to 6:58 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the evening of March 3, as seen from the United States.

 

This eclipse is very similar to the Blood Red Passover Eclipse as seen from Jerusalem and as a dark eclipse from the eastern through Midwestern U.S. on April 3/4, 1997.   This eclipse should also be a red eclipse as seen from Jerusalem and will occur on Purim.

 

Chart 430 shows the position of the moon in the constellation Leo (Arieh) around the time of mid eclipse at 1:30 a.m. as seen from Jerusalem. The moon is oversized on this chart.

 

Chart 430 – Total Lunar Eclipse in Arieh, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah on March 3/4, 2007

 

Again, Arieh represents the Lion of the Tribe of Judah or Messiah, or the Tribe of Judah.  The Lion is making war with the water serpent Hydra, or a beast from the sea.   In ancient times, Hydra had seven heads.

 

A Blood Red Eclipse represents the atoning blood of Messiah and also blood and war on His enemies.  Considering the signs in the Sign Scorpio since this past December, this most likely represents Messiah making war on His enemies. 

 

This eclipse also occurs on Purim, which is the time that the people of Judah who lived in the land of Persia were to be destroyed by Haman’s deceitfulness, but instead, the armies that came up against the Jews in the land if Persia were destroyed.  Read the book of Esther for all the info.  It is far more accurate and detailed than the movie “One Night With The King.”  At any rate, there was war against the enemies of Yahweh’s people at that time, and those enemies were destroyed.  Haman was hanged.

 

I believe this Blood Red Eclipse to represent blood and war against the enemies of Yahweh’s people with the enemy being utterly destroyed.  Whether this starts to take place at this time remains to be seen, but the heavenly signs are strong, as you will understand as you read on.

 

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

 

There will be a partial solar eclipse that will be visible from China on March 19, 2007.  This eclipse will not be visible from Israel.

 

Chart 431 shows the position of the sun and moon in the constellation Pisces at the time of the eclipse.  The eclipse will end over an hour before the sun rises above the eastern horizon in Israel. 

 

 

Chart 431 – Positions of Sun and Moon in Pisces during Solar Eclipse on March 19, 2007


 

The constellation Pisces represents the nation of Israel as a whole or the Two Houses of Israel.  The fish going up to the north represents the House of Ephraim or Israel and the horizontal fish represents the House of Judah.  This eclipse, though not seen from Eretz Israel, occurs under the fish representing the House of Judah.  Pisces represents Israel going into bondage, in bondage, or coming out of bondage or conflict.

 

The solar eclipse on March 19 (Astronomical New Moon) will occur one day before the sighting of the New Moon of the Abib (Biblical New Moon), or the beginning of the New Biblical Year.

 

 

NAKED EYE NOVA APPEARS IN SCORPIO

 

On February 4, 2007 two Japanese nova hunters discovered a 9th magnitude nova in the constellation Scorpio.  The nova soon brightened to a magnitude of 3.8 as of Saturday February 17th.  This is well within the naked eye range of brightness.  The chart below shows the position of the Nova Sco 2007 in Scorpio with Jupiter (Zedek) burning brightly above it.  Again, Scorpio is the Sign representing war or conflict between the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed.

. 

Looking south-southeast before dawn's first light

 

A naked eye nova is rare.  To the ancients this would be known as a “New Star.”  They would have played close attention to it along with any surrounding celestial signs.

 

A nova is an exploding star.

 

In the December 2006/January 2007 issue of Biblical Astronomy I mentioned that when Jupiter was seen in the heliacal rising of the sun that in ancient times it would be watched to see what would follow.  In early December there were no foreseeable events of great interest.  What was unforeseeable at that time was a very bright surprise comet that was in Scorpio (though dim at that time) when the massing of the planets Jupiter, Mars and Mercury occurred on December 10.  The comet later became exceedingly bright.  Now there is a “new star” appearing in the scorpion.  And there is more yet to come.

 

The following Sky & Telescope news release was written by Alan MacRobert concerning the newly discovered nova in Scorpio.

 

“Nova Scorpii 2007 wasn't a big deal when two Japanese nova hunters, Yuji Nakamura and Yukio Sakurai, independently discovered it at 9th magnitude on February 4th. But that was then and this is now. The nova has brightened all the way to about magnitude 4.0 as of Saturday the 17h.

 

That puts it in fairly easy naked-eye view if you don't have a too-badly light-polluted sky. Binoculars will show it very well from anywhere. On the morning of the 17th I spotted it immediately with binoculars through tree branches and a closed bathroom window.

 

Scorpius is up in the south-southeast just before the first light of dawn. You can't miss brilliant Jupiter shining near it, as shown here. The nova (which has also been named V1280 Scorpii) is 9° southeast of Antares and a couple degrees northeast of Epsilon Scorpii; at declination –32° 21', right ascension 16h 57.7m. Epsilon Sco, by comparison, is magnitude 2.3.

 

Be out and looking just before morning twilight begins at your site. To find when this occurs, make sure you've entered your location and correct time zone into our online almanac. Bundle up, and make it an early-morning adventure! “

 

There is more.  There is now a second newly discovered nova in Scorpio and it may also become a naked eye object.  This is just totally unreal!!! (figure of speech).

 

The following article by Alan MacRobert is an update on the first discovered nova and also info on the second nova.

 

Second Naked-Eye Nova in Scorpius?!

 

“Nova Scorpii 2007 wasn't a big deal when two Japanese nova hunters, Yuji Nakamura and Yukio Sakurai, independently discovered it at 9th magnitude on February 4th. But it brightened and brightened, peaking at magnitude 3.8 on Friday the 16th. As of Wednesday morning the 21st, it had faded to about 4.9. It has also changed from white to orange-red, typical behavior for classical novae.

 

That still puts it in naked-eye range if you don't have a too-badly light-polluted sky. Binoculars show it well from anywhere.”

Now, a second nova right nearby!

 

“On Wednesday, February 21st, came remarkable news: another nova has apparently gone off in Scorpius, and it's a mere 3° due south of the first!

 

Yuji Nakamura, codiscoverer of the first one, found the likely nova at magnitude 9.3 on two CCD images taken at February 19.86 Universal Time. A day later, at February 20.85 UT, K. Itagaki confirmed the new star; it's at right ascension 16h 56m 59s, declination –35° 21.8' (2000.0 coordinates). He judged it to be magnitude 8.8.                  What's likely to be named "Nova Scorpii 2007 Number 2" was also independently discovered by Hideo Nishimura on the morning of the 20th Japanese time; he called it magnitude 9.2. Stay tuned.”

 

Chart 432 shows the positions of both novae in the constellation Scorpio.  It still remains to be seen if the second nova will become a naked eye object.  I cannot wait any longer to find out.  I need to get this news to you now.

 


Chart 432 – Location of the two novae in the constellation Scorpio

 

All of the signs seem to be pointing to a major war to be waged against the adversary and his forces or against the enemies of Yahweh and Israel.  Again, it remains to be seen if this will occur in the very near future, but the signs are strong.  If this is spiritual or both spiritual and physical also remains to be seen.

 

It was in October of 1604 when there was a massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn in Scorpio followed a few weeks later by a supernova that went off in the constellation Ophiuchus, which is a decan constellation in the Sign Scorpio.  That supernova exploded between the planets Jupiter and Saturn, or between Zedek, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS and Satan.  It was brighter than Jupiter and was visible for one year and three months to the naked eye. 

 

I believe that event along with the massing of the planets, was portraying heavy spiritual warfare that was going on at the time.  It was in 1604 that the King James Bible was “commissioned” to be written (the best English translation of the time) and it was not long after that, that Pilgrims settled in a new land called America.  The combination of the English translation of the Scriptures and new settlements being made in a new land for the sake of religious freedom was just an awesome combination.  This was a great blow to the adversary.

 

The founding and development of the United States was and is under the guiding hands of Providence.

 

Just think of what the world would be like if it the United States under the guidance of the Almighty did not exist.  Would there be religious freedom?  What would have happened in World War I or II?  Just to name a few things.  Y’shua gave us internal liberty and that liberty became external on July 4, 1776.

 

There is a good book available written on the subject of America’s Providential history titled America’s Providential History by Mark A Beliles and Stephen K McDowell.  If you are interested in reading this book, you can write or call:

 

Providence Foundation

P.O. Box 6759

Charlottesville, VA 22906

434-978-4535

 

I believe the book sells for $17.95 plus $4.00 shipping.

 

BIBLICAL ASTRONOMY FINANCES

 

Three words – in bad shape.  The Biblical Astronomy bank account is down to $500.00 and the ministry is in debt $14,000.  This debt has accrued over the years.  There does not seem to be much interest throughout the body of Messiah in Biblical Astronomy – not nearly as much as I wrongly anticipated.  There are a total of 35 paid subscribers for the postal version of the newsletter.  The money from these subscriptions along with the few donations I get from those who get the newsletter via the Internet comes to less than $1,000 per year.  That does not cover the full amount for mailing costs, printing costs and internet fees.  

 

I made $1,600 for seminars last year along with about $700.00 in gross sales of products.  I spent $1,200 on the products, which comes to a net loss of $500.00.  I also had to repair my laptop and purchase a desktop computer, together costing about $1,400.  And there was another $1,400 spent in the purchase of a video projector.  I anticipated that I would be doing more seminars than I ended up doing.   The total of those purchases came to another $2,800 loss, and added to the $500 loss from the purchase of raw materials comes to a total loss of at least $3,300 for this past year. 

 

I based many of these purchases on what people said they were going to donate to Biblical Astronomy but didn’t come through.  I cannot continue to shoulder most of the financial burden for this ministry.  I will continue to publish the newsletters through the end of the subscription year, but will need to come up with something for the coming year if it is to continue.  I may need to charge $10.00 per year for the 1,000 or so people who get the newsletter from the Biblical Astronomy Website.  Donations are welcomed.

 

YAHWEH bless you and keep you.