Overview
- Mark Matney published the hypothesis in the Journal of the British Astronomical Association using Han‑dynasty records of a comet visible for more than 70 days.
- His orbital reconstruction places the object about 390,000 kilometers from Earth on 8 June 5 BC, comparable to the Moon’s distance.
- At that proximity, the comet’s apparent motion could have temporarily offset Earth’s rotation, producing the “stood still” effect described in Matthew for roughly two hours.
- Matney emphasizes the identification is uncertain due to fragmentary historical sources and modeling limits for ancient comet orbits.
- Researchers highlight viable alternatives such as planetary conjunctions or an astrological reading focused on Jupiter, and they note comets were often seen as negative omens in antiquity.