The sky of the Bible

The sun, moon and stars as the people of the Bible saw them — the star groups they named, the moon’s calendar, the morning star, eclipses, the star of Bethlehem and the signs of the weather.

The Pleiades, Orion and the BearHebrew kimah, kesil, ash or ayish · named together in Job and Amos
Sun and moon in the calendarHebrew yareach (moon), chodesh (new moon, month) · months of 29 or 30 days
The morning starHebrew helel, “shining one” · Greek phōsphoros, “light-bringer” · usually the planet Venus
MazzarothHebrew mazzaroth · found once, in Job 38:32 · meaning uncertain
Eclipses and the darkened skyNo eclipse described outright · June 15, 763 BC: an anchor of ancient dates
The star of BethlehemGreek astēr · told only in Matthew 2 · Herod died about 4 BC
Red sky, east wind and rainRain from October to April · the east wind, or sirocco · weather signs in the Gospels
Stars without numberA few thousand stars seen by eye · Ptolemy’s catalog, about AD 150: 1,022 stars