The Magi (official advisors to the king as “diviners”) from east of Israel, likely learned about this star from the influence of Daniel long before then.
They arrived at least a year after Jesus’ birth (a few years BC), since later Herod killed all boys under 2 to try and destroy his imagined rival to the throne.
An aster was any celestial body, and all celestial bodies move east to west.
But this one moved south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem after the Magi asked Herod’s court about “his” (the King of the Jews) star”.
It’s possible that it was the glory of God’s presence, which can move (Ex.
13:20-22, 2 Chron.
7:1).
A desire to make it “natural” is a desire to make scripture bow to “science”.
