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Marcel,

I reviewed what I wrote in light of your question and I am sorry for not 
understanding it better.  My feeling is that as far as positional astronomy, 
the knowledge would be limited, they did not have sextants, octants, etc., or 
other astronomical instruments.  They simply had their eyes and maybe a 
primitive astrolabe, but I have no specific information regarding the 
astrolabe.

From what I recall, from the Nova special, the planet Jupiter in the 
constellation Aries was the only location information they would have had.  
This would have required the Wise Men going to the capital of Isreal which 
was Jerusalem and making inquiries.  The Jewish leaders were then consulted 
and told the birth was in Bethlehem and the Wise Men went on from there.  

As far as the rising in the west, my version of the Bible says the "east."  My 
Symtopticon say "we have seen the rising of his star."  
I have to check some other translisations for the "rising in the west." but 
that is as far as I can remember.  I wish you luck.

Andrew


--- On Wed, 12/31/08, Marcel Tschudin  wrote:

> From: Marcel Tschudin 
> Subject: [NavList 6863] Re: The Star of Bethlehem and Navigation
> To: NavList@fer3.com
> Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 12:09 PM
> Andrew, your argument is an astrological one. I'm aware
> that - due to
> lack of further information - people try to date the event
> by this
> mean. Also the date found by Mr. Koch could by astrologers
> apparently
> be associated to the birth of a king.
> 
> My question is rather related to astronomical aspects.
> There were
> cultures who had apparently quite some knowledge on
> positional
> astronomy, like the Babylonians which you mentioned.
> I'm just
> wandering whether the Three Wise Men realised that a
> certain
> constellation (e.g. an occultation), wouldn't be
> visible at their
> location but could calculate that it would be visible
> further away in
> Jerusalem.
> 
> Marcel
> 
> 

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