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The Star of Bethlehem

Arthur C. Clarke

First published 1959
Type Essay

In search of a scientific explanation of ''His star in the East'' which, according to the Gospel of Matthew (2:1-4), marked the birth of Jesus.

First published as "What Was the Star of Bethlehem?" in Holiday, December 1954. See Clarke's short story ''The Star'' (1955) for an adroit use of the same material in fiction.

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
1959 The Challenge of the Spaceship: Previews of Tomorrow's World Harper & Brothers Nonfiction
1960 Cover Über den Himmel hinaus: Unser Leben im Zeichen der Raumfahrt Econ Nonfiction 99
1960 Cover The Challenge of the Spaceship: Previews of Tomorrow's World Frederick Muller Ltd Nonfiction
1961 Cover The Challenge of the Spaceship Ballantine Books Nonfiction 73
January 1972 Cover Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Harper & Row Nonfiction 32
1973 Cover Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Corgi Books / Transworld Publishers Nonfiction 42
1975 Cover Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Corgi Nonfiction 42
1978 Cover Composition & Literary Form: An Anthology: Second Edition Winthrop Publishers Anthology 228
June 1980 Cover The Challenge of the Spaceship Pocket Books Nonfiction 88
June 1982 Cover Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Signet / New American Library Nonfiction 37
1984 Cover Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Pan Books Nonfiction 42
1985 Cover Berichte über einen kleinen blauen Planeten Bastei Lübbe Nonfiction 42
March 1985 Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations Berkley Books Nonfiction 31
October 1991 Cover A New Christmas Treasury Viking Anthology 67
1999 Cover Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds!: A Vision of the 20th Century As It Happened Voyager Nonfiction 145
August 1999 Cover Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds!: Collected Essays 1934-1998 St. Martin's Press Nonfiction 145