Frederick Anthony Heep "Rick" Larson (born March 26, 1953) is an American lawyer and law professor[4] who became a filmmaker after he investigated the Star of Bethlehem and became a traveling speaker on the topic, then made his first documentary film The Star of Bethlehem about his findings in 2007.

[13] Chester, a co-founder of the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, thought the planetary conjunctions of 2 BC were a more plausible explanation for what the Magi would have seen than events found in earlier dates.

[15] Larson examined the biblical account in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2[16] and located nine qualities of Bethlehem's Star:[10][17] It signified birth, it signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it rose "in the East";[18] furthermore, King Herod had not been aware of it;[19] it appeared at an exact time;[20] it endured over time;[21] and, according to the book of Matthew,[22] it was before the Magi as they traveled south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, then it stopped over Bethlehem.

[23] Larson wrote the screenplay and was co-executive producer with Stephen McEveety,[24] whose films include The Passion of the Christ[25] and Braveheart.

[32]: 191 [6] He founded the STAR project, a nonprofit organization that promotes unity among Christians of many denominations.