Why do stars twinkle?

warpig3 | 10:46 Wed 25th Mar 2009 | Science

6 Answers

Well, why do they? Some appear to twinkle yets some dont (are these non-twinkling ones planets?).

many thanks
warpig

Changing the past

life before us?

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squarebear

Yes the non twinkling ones are planets.

From what I remember from school, it's the Earth's atmosphere that distorts the rays of light from the stars making them twinkle.

lilsecret

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php? number=114

warpig3

Question Author

Thanks SB, I was on the right tracks then.

warpig3

Question Author

Excellent link lilsecret, many thanks.

fo3nix

Just to add: sometimes stars appear like crosses in photos. This is an artefact of the lens used to take the image.

Stars appearing like crosses can also be an artefact of the struts holding the secondary mirror in the telescope.

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