Question 10

Why do stars twinkle?

Answer

Stars twinkling appears due to the atmospheric refraction of the starlight. When the starlight enters on the earth surface, refraction undergoes continuously with gradually changes in refractive index before it reaches the earth surface. The atmospheric physical condition changes, i.e, do not remain stationary, the apparent position (when star is slightly different from its original position) of the stars are also not stationary. When the refractive index changes continuously due to which path of the light rays from the stars keeps on changing the path continuously. As the path of rays of light that comes from the stars, goes on varying slightly. The apparent position of the stars fluctuates and the starlight enters the eye- sometimes the star may appear brighter, and sometime this effect is known as the twinkling effect.   

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