It is well known that Joseph Smith had an interest in folk magic, including scrying and astrology. It is also well documented that during the Kirtland era, he studied Hebrew – coinciding with the early development of the Book of Abraham.
One of the most significant contributions of the Book of Abraham to Mormonism was the introduction of Kolob, a celestial body described as being near the Celestial Kingdom and the throne of God (not as God’s dwelling place, but in proximity to it). Kolob is presented as the greatest among the “fixed stars” that govern creation and serve as a basis for time.
Historically, “fixed stars” are a well-established concept in astronomy, referring to stars that appear stationary relative to one another when viewed from Earth. Unlike planets, which shift against the background of stars, fixed stars maintain their positions over long periods due to their immense distance, making their movement nearly imperceptible without precise instruments. Consequently, they have been used for timekeeping through sidereal time, celestial navigation, and ancient star clocks, providing a stable reference for tracking Earth’s rotation and seasonal changes.
Because of their peculiar nature, fixed stars have also been a subject of fascination in magic, astrology, and the occult. Notably, The Magus by Francis Barrett – a book historians have confirmed was accessible to the Smith family – contains a chapter discussing fixed stars, including Sirius. Other well-known occultists, such as Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, identified 15 fixed stars, the same number Kolob is associated with in some interpretations.
In 1913 Robert C. Webb (James E. Homans) noted that the Hebrew word for dog is “כֶּלֶב” which is pronounced “keh’-leb”, closely resembles “Kolob” and suggested that Joseph Smith may have drawn from the Hebrew word associated with Sirius, also known as the Dog Star. This theory was later revisited by Arch S. Reynolds in 1951. However, it was as early as 1857 when Mormons began speculating that Kolob could be the star Sirius, as it is the brightest star in the night sky.
Given this context, I see Kolob as yet another example of Joseph Smith blending folk magic, occult traditions, and Hebrew elements into Mormonism.
Now, here’s where it gets even more interesting Sirius isn’t a single star but a binary system consisting of Sirius A, a bright main-sequence star, and Sirius B, a faint white dwarf. The existence of Sirius B wasn’t even theorized until a few months after Smith’s death and wasn’t directly observed until 1862.
With past theological speculations and modern astronomical discoveries in mind, one could play with the idea that Sirius A represents Kolob, while Sirius B, the white dwarf, could be where God resides in the Celestial Kingdom. Now, do I literally believe that Adam was real, was resurrected, achieved godhood, and now lives on a white dwarf star? No. However, it’s a fascinating and uniquely Mormon bit of lore, and I enjoy thinking and talking about it. 🙂