Wasn't there a nova recorded by the Chinese around the time of the Nativity, +/- a couple of years?
Actually, the coins I've found like that, all have the date 86 B.C. stamped right on them. But seriously, if astronomers can date Halley's Comet back to 240 B.C. with accuracy, and they know the comet appeared 12 years before the birth of Jesus -- then they ought to be able to peg the Savior's birth date just about to the day.
I guess I just don't see a comet on that hat. I'll have to get my magnifying glass. Hey, it's Merlin! Wait, wait, the inscription on the hatband reads ... I ... predict ... that ... gasoline ... prices ... will ... continue ... to ... climb ... to ... over ... four ... dollars ... per ... gallon ... by ... this ... time ... next ... year ... stop. I ... may ... look ... old ... and ... foolish ... to ... you ... but ... my ... offspring ... will ... hold ... the ... oil ... leases ... while ... you ... hold ... jeez, it looks like ... while ... you ... hold ... your ... breath ... stop. Nice guy, huh? Anyway, I always find it hard to believe that Jesus was a Capricorn.
This one?
" On July 4, 1054 A.D., Chinese astronomers noted a "guest star" in the constellation Taurus; Simon Mitton lists 5 independent preserved Far-East records of this event (one of 75 authentic guest stars - novae and supernovae, excluding comets - systematically recorded by Chinese astronomers between 532 B.C. and 1064 A.D., according to Simon Mitton). This star became about 4 times brighter than Venus in its brightest light, or about mag -6, and was visible in daylight for 23 days. "