What makes the stars twinkle?

Introduction

The twinkling of stars, a phenomenon known as stellar scintillation, is a common observation from Earth. This effect is primarily caused by the Earth's atmosphere, which distorts the light from stars as it passes through various layers of air with different temperatures and densities.

Key Insights

Atmospheric Turbulence: The primary cause of star twinkling is the turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. As starlight passes through the atmosphere, it encounters varying air densities and temperatures, causing the light to bend and scatter, which results in the twinkling effect .
Zenith Angle and Light Bandwidth: The degree of twinkling can depend on the zenith angle of the star (its position in the sky) and the bandwidth of the light. Stars closer to the horizon tend to twinkle more due to the longer path through the atmosphere.
Photon Counting Methods: Advanced experimental methods, such as photon counting, have been used to study stellar scintillation. These methods help in characterizing the features of twinkling and understanding the structure of atmospheric turbulence.
Artificial Light Twinkling: Similar twinkling effects can be observed with artificial lights, such as coastal town lights seen from the sea. This suggests that the phenomenon is not exclusive to starlight but is a general optical effect caused by atmospheric disturbances .
Historical Perspectives: Historical explanations for star twinkling have varied. Early theories by figures like Newton attributed the effect to atmospheric fluctuations, while others suggested it was due to the reflection of solar rays.

Conclusion

The twinkling of stars is primarily caused by atmospheric turbulence, which distorts the light as it travels through layers of air with varying densities and temperatures. This effect is more pronounced for stars near the horizon and can also be observed in artificial lights. Advanced experimental techniques and historical perspectives provide a deeper understanding of this optical phenomenon.

What makes the stars twinkle?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Why do stars twinkle, and do they twinkle on Mars?

Stars twinkle due to the varying distances between them and the Earth, and they do not twinkle on Mars.

The Twinkling of the Stars

The twinkling of stars is not due to the effect of two lights, but rather to the refraction of light by the atmosphere, as observed by G. F. Burder in NATURE.

The twinkling of stars

Star twinkling is a result of Earth's atmosphere turbulence, and measurements can reveal insights into the structure of this turbulence.

The Twinkling of Distant Light-points

The twinkling of coastal town lights may be caused by wave-movements in the sea, rather than differences in air-layer densities.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Star No More

Atmospheric turbulence can cause starlight to twinkle, but forecasting it could improve telescope design, scheduling, and telescope locations.

Part II. Nicole Oresme’S De Visione Stellarum Latin Critical Edition With English Translation

Oresme's De Visione Stellarum explains that stars twinkle due to atmospheric fluctuations, echoing Plato's Timaeus and Bacon's Witelo and Bacon.

Does transparent hidden matter generate optical scintillation

Optical scintillation in extra-galactic stars may be caused by molecular hydrogen clouds, potentially revealing hidden matter variations in Galactic molecular clouds.

The Twinkling of Stars

The twinkling of stars can be imitated in a dark-room by viewing a small light from the periphery of the retina, with the light appearing to twinkle like a star.

The physics of star formation

Star formation involves gravitational collapse in molecular clouds, with most stars forming in binary systems, and the most massive stars may form through violent interactions and mergers.

Simulation of optical interstellar scintillation

Current telescopes with fast-readout, wide-field detectors can potentially discover the first interstellar optical scintillation effects, with desynchronized light curves being crucial for distinguishing between variations.

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