Matthew and the Age of Pisces?

MATTHEW AND THE AGE OF PISCES? Professor Jay Williams asks Who Were the Magi? (at Bible and Interpretation) and comes up with a novel answer involving astrology. Excerpt:

Jews, on the whole, officially refused to accept astrology because of the emphasis upon the seven “planets” that were understood to be gods. Nevertheless, it would have been difficult for anyone during the later Hellenistic age not to be aware of the findings and beliefs of astrology. It was, after all, considered by many to be a highly acceptable science. Several centuries later, Jews constructed a synagogue at Beth Alpha that had on its floor an astrological diagram. Another such synagogue existed also in Tiberias.

In any event, it is quite probable that many people at the time of Jesus knew that they were, slowly but surely, entering a new age, the age of Pisces, the fish. Both Aries and Pisces are rather vague constellations and do not have the sharp outlines of the Big Dipper or Orion. Nevertheless, those who watched the heavens carefully could see the first star of Pisces rising in the east at the time of the vernal equinox. The new age was beginning.

It is doubtful that any Persians would have thought that the spiritual power of the New Age was to be born in Judea as the Jewish Messiah, but that is beside the point. The author of Matthew was surely not Persian but probably Jewish in background and it is he who, according to our theory, wished to connect Jesus to the coming of the New Age. Indeed, Jesus is seen by him as the Lord of the New Age, as the reign of heaven becomes a reality.

I'm not sure what "officially" means here. It's hard to pin down an "official" Judaism in this period. The Temple priests? But we don't know what position, if any, they advanced about astrology. And there are astrological texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q186, 4Q534, 4Q561, 4Q318). But, if anything, that strengthens rather than weakens Professor Williams's case. So one more interpretation of the Star of Bethlehem to add to the list. More on the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem here.