aster

Although the word “star” appears in all English translations of Matthew 2’s account of the Christmas star, the original Greek text used the word “aster” (αστηρ). The Greek word “aster”” has a much broader meaning than the English word “”star”” and can “”refer to any kind of heavenly body — a star, a planet, an asteroid, a comet, or a meteor.” [Hugh Ross, “The Christmas Star” (12/02); see also, Barry Setterfield, The Christmas Star, DVD (2008), Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 81 – 82  (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977) and www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary/aster]