The Christmas Star

Star light, star bright

first star I see tonight ...

 The other day, 

I was listening to a radio program. 

Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium was on.

He's a fascinating man and I always learn a thing or two when I hear him.

His recent remarks were no exception.

There are two things he said  that stood out for me.

One, that all the matter in the universe only takes up 4% of the available gravity,

meaning, what is taking the other 96% of gravity's force? 

That's a mystery.

And two, that humankind can't help but look up into the night sky and wonder.

I thought of that tonight when I was coming home late.

Venus, the evening star, was shining brightly, 

sparkling low in the southern sky.

It was so bright, I wondered how much brighter and more fabulous

the Christmas Star might have been.

It must have been spectacular.

Here's an article from  NBC News online that describes 

scientists attempts to identify any astrological events that may have occurred

at the time of the first Christmas.

All in all, a wonderful mystery.

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