Appendix 6: Works by Johannes KEPLER the Austrian astronomer (1571-1630)  (Written on December 8, 2018)

 

An emblematic work by Kepler is published in 1606 : De stella nova in pede serpentarii,

If this work does not have the scientific scope of Astronomia nova (1609) or Epitome astronomiae copercicanae (1618 - 1621) where Kepler exposes what is today denominated his 3 fundamental laws on the movement of the planets on their orbit, it shows the characteristic of Kepler's personality, at once a famous astronomer and a convinced astrologer. For him, astronomy (astronomical observation) and astrology (supposed correspondences with human affairs) were linked but he was very critical about popular astrology. https://bibulyon.hypotheses.org/1422

(Kepler's 3 laws on planetary motion: http://www.phy6.org/stargaze/Kep3laws.htm)

 

The years 1603 - 1604 are marked by an important event for astronomers of the time: a conjunction Jupiter - Saturn. And in this direction, appears a new star that could be observed from October 1604 to October 1605. Kepler then multiplies the observations and the measurements, then compiles the data in De stella nova ... The precision of his work is remarkable for the time and allowed, much later in the 20th century, the identification of this famous star : it was a supernova terminally explosive.

But for Kepler, such an astronomical event (a supernova associated with a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn) can not be devoid of meaning. He associates this phenomenon with the star of the Three Wise Men and, taking up the historical arguments of Laurent Suslyga, Kepler establishes by astronomical calculations a new date for the birth of Christ : -5 before our era. He records his results in a pamphlet - De Jesu Christi Servatoris vero anno natalitio, consideratio novissimae sententiae Laurentii Suslygae Poloni, quartet annos in usitata epocha desiderantis ... - which he publishes with De stella nova.

With the improvement of astronomy we have realized that the complete cycle of conjunctions is shorter than what the ancient authors affirmed. Kepler has calculated that this cycle lasts about 805 years.

Cycle of about 805 years.

The completion of a cycle has been considered by Kepler as a marker for events of great importance, such as the creation of empires or the coming of the messiah: Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Charlemagne, Rodolphe II.

 

 

Triple conjunctions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_conjunction

If the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn alignment occurs while these planets are close to their opposition to the Sun, their movements are subject to the annual phenomenon of the retrograde movement of the planets: in their race on the sky, each seems to be immobilize then moves back in the retrograde direction before stopping again then to start again in the direct direction. This retrograde movement is more important for Jupiter moving faster than Saturn. We can then observe three getting closer together of the 2 planets within a few months. This phenomenon is called triple conjunction. It has occurred twice in the twentieth century, in 1940-41 and in 1981. However, it is rather rare and has no simple periodicity. Thus, the next great triple conjunction is expected for 2238-2239.

 

Starting from the approximate data, it can be noted that the orbital period of Saturn around the sun is close to 30 years while that of Jupiter is 12 years, so it will be estimated that it takes about 20 years for it to catch Saturn in his race around the Sun. In the Zodiac band, the place where the new conjunction occurs shifts at each occurrence by about a third of a turn. After 60 years their initial configuration will be repeated in the sky from a heliocentric point of view, one having completed 2 laps and the other 5 laps.

 

 The triple great conjunction of 1981

Because of their respective retrograde movement,

Jupiter and Saturn were three times in conjunction within a few months.

 

 

 

  

Projection from the Earth (in blue) of the movements

of the outer planet Mars (in red) on the sphere of fixed stars.

Visualization of a seeming retrograde movement.

 

 

What a Wonderful Heavenly Mechanics!

 

Here is a terminally supernova exploding Crab Nebula, observed by five large instruments,

working in different wavelengths, in false colors. Explosion occurred in 1054.

 

 

 

 

Astronomers estimate that in our galaxy, a supernova explodes on average every 100 years. But it has now been a little over 400 years since we saw it shine from Earth (Kepler's supernova in 1604).

https://www.futura-sciences.com/sciences/questions-reponses/astronomie-supernova-prochaine-etoile-pourrait-exploser-11560/

 

The Lord God Almighty in His Great Science,

therefore purposely gave birth to a man like KEPLER,

for the observation and his conclusions concerning this astonishing star in 1604.