In "Star of Bethlehem," science explores the mystery surrounding a legendary celestial event. One of the longest-running planetarium shows in the world, "Star" weaves art, music and science into a fascinating holiday tradition.

What are some of the possible astronomical explanations for this event? Viewers can examine whether a blazing comet, an exploding or shooting star, a major eclipse or a conjunction of planets might explain the reported event.

	The Journey of the Magi." The star has fascinated artists for centuries. This Sassetta painting from around 1435 is one of the works of art that appears in the show.

The orignal version of "Star of Bethlehem" premiered in 1949 at Morehead Planetarium and has been an audience favorite ever since, entering its 60th year in 2009. During that time, the show has undergone several revisions, the most recent in 2002. Each revision has taken advantage of new scientific research and advancement in planetarium technology to offer enhancements to the traditional show.

The newest version features several UNC-Chapel Hill scholars from the fields of astronomy, art history and religious studies presenting various perspectives on the star, in addition to new theories from archeology and history experts.

Former WRAL-TV anchorman Charlie Gaddy narrates. The "Star of Bethlehem" planetarium show is approximately 35 minutes in length.

Age recommendation

Morehead believes that the science content is best suited for students in grades 5-8. However, the show is also one of the best choices for adults visiting the planetarium and includes animation, special effects and a story that appeals to younger children as well.

Audio gallery

Former UNC chancellor James Moeser, a past president of the American Guild of Organists, performs his rendition of “Joy to the World” in "Star of Bethlehem."
Listen to the audio clip.
(1.9 MB)

Multi-media gallery

See excerpts of music video showcasing "Star of Bethlehem" at The 2002 Jupiter Ball. (Quicktime)

• Video clip 1 (3.22MB)
• Video clip 2 (4.25MB)

Seasonal schedules

Visiting soon? Check out Morehead's interactive calendar to see what's happening when you'll be here. Just click the date — the interactive calendar is typically up-to-date within one week of today.

Please note that Morehead does not offer all of its shows every day and that exhibits may be closed for maintenance or for classes during some hours.

If you're planning to visit several weeks from today, check out our current schedule of public shows to plan your trip and check the interactive calendar just before your visit to learn about any schedule updates.

Please note that seasonal schedules change four times each year (spring, summer, fall and holiday), and some shows are not offered during every schedule.

School shows

In addition to its public shows, Morehead offers shows during the week especially for school classes and other field trip groups. These school shows do not appear on the seasonal schedule but do appear on Morehead's daily calendar.

If seats are available, the public may purchase tickets to school shows.

However, school groups with reserved seating have first priority on any remaining seats (for example, if extra chaperons attend), so Morehead cannot guarantee that public seats will be available for school shows.