Christmas in the sky - an astronomer's view

As I walked back to my place tonight from an awesome christmas day with friends, I took a look up. It's 1:00am. the origins of the myth that today is based on is shining down on me. The Three Kings (Orion's Belt) steady above the rooftops, the Eastern Star (Sirius) twinkling brightly in the cold air. I wonder how many people know of the faithful Canis Major, the constellation of Orion's hunting dog, of which Sirius is the brightest object in the sky tonight..

I trace a tentative line with my finger along the path of the 3 Kings, that follow the Eastern Star to the rising of the new Sun, lost somewhere in the palm trees & houses.. This morning (the 25th) the sun moved North for the 1st time after being still (or dead) for 3 days in the vincinity of the constellation the Southern Cross. The savior of the world born again.

What a different world it would be if a few of the world's most popular books had a foreword to this effect...