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As a (rank) amateur astronomer, I was always intrigued by the various attempts to explain the Star of Bethlehem as an actual astronomical event.

One of the more interesting theories involved the planet Jupiter ("Star of Kings") performing a number of very close conjunctions with the bright star Regulus (from the Latin for "king") in the constellation Leo ("The Lion" - as in "of Judah"), during the course of the year 2 BC.

Based on the timing of these multiple conjunctions along with the fact that Venus (the "Mother Star") joined the celestial dance towards the autumn of that year, it was inferred that Christ was born in the more shepherd-friendly September of 2 BC, and the Magi (who were Persian astronomers with knowledge of Jewish prophecies) visiting the Holy Family "in the house" in Bethlehem around the end of December, when Jupiter stopped its cycle of retrograde motion in the sky (i.e. "stood still above them").

Of course, this is quite speculative, and there is some dispute re: the actual view of the sky in the Middle East at that time -- the important thing is that a Savior is Born to Us, and that's what we should commemorate during this "Holiday" season.

Umm, ... Joseph and Mary ... Bethlehem ... Roman Census ordered ... No room at the Inn ... Roman census at 0 BC ordered for around December 25 according to records ... three wise men ...

That is EXACTLY what I was referring to.

From the site http://www.bethlehemstar.net/dance/dance.htm you will find this:

An astronomer tracking the movement of planets through the star field watches not so much on the scale of minutes, but on the longer scale of days, weeks and months. On this scale of time, Jupiter did stop. On December 25 of 2 BC as it entered retrograde, Jupiter reached full stop in its travel through the fixed stars. Magi viewing from Jerusalem would have seen it stopped in the sky above the little town of Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas!

Two different visits? Shepherds in Sept at the cave/manger/barn.

Then (about 2-3 years later) the Magi arrived when they were in a regular house. Herod killed all boys less than 3 years old in the first persecution of Christian innocents, so the birth had to be at least 2 years previous to the visit of the foreigners to Herod's court. Doesn't give a city either as I recall.