Una Planetarium Hosts Mystery Of The Christmas Star
Dec. 13, 2017
Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033
Bryan Rachal
University Communications
FLORENCE, Ala.- Keeping with the yearly tradition, the University of North Alabama Planetarium will host the Mystery of the Christmas Star each evening at 7 p.m., Dec. 19-23, on UNA's campus.
"There is an obvious connection between astronomy and the Christmas Star," said Dr. Mel Blake, director of the UNA Planetarium and associate professor of Physics and Earth Science. "And there are several possible explanations. The leading one is an alignment of planets in Leo in the spring of 3 B.C. or 7 B.C. The Wise Men were probably Zoroastrian priests who combined astrology with other mystical aspects. The Zoroastrians were active in the region at that time and several of their other traditions are in common with Christianity," he said.
Blake said the evening will consist of a special video show, followed by the normal sky tour, which shows what's in the sky during the month of December.
The program is appropriate for all ages and cost is $3 per person.
For more information:https://www.una.edu/planetarium/
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programsthrough the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business,Education and Human Sciences, and the Anderson College of Nursing.Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. UNA also operates arenownedcollegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference.The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age or national origin.