Why does a star have five points?

Answer 1

because if it had zero points , it would be a circle... haha

Answer 2

Thoughout history stars have been represented in many different ways. One of the most common today is the 5 pointed star, but 4,6,7,8 and even more points have been used. Some cultures also represented stars more like they are seen in the sky, as dots, or small circles. The 5 pointed star might have originated from the way the Egyptians represented the star in hyroglypics. If you look at a really bright star sometime you might notice that it does appear to have lines coming out from it. These are called diffraction spikes and appear because of the way the light enters your eye which is a small circular hole. (Astronomers are very familiar with diffraction because it provides the fundamental limit to the detail we can make out in distant objects). I suspect that the ultimate origin of the pointed star is those spikes, although that's just an educated guess.

The star symbol has a really rich history, and is often used in a religious context (for example the star of David or the star of Bethlehem). Of course it's also important to US citizens (and citizens of some other countries) as part of their flag. It's actual origin may be lost, but the history would certainly be an interesting subject to research further.

Answer 3

Of course a star doesn't really have five points, because it's the light from a sun, which is round, but when viewed through a glass lens you often do get the appearance of points off a star.

This is caused by the way the lens refracts and bends the light as it passes through it, and interestingly you can usually spin the points around by tilting and rotating the lens.

Another reason that people usually draw a 5 pointed star is that it's been drawn that way for a long time because of it's religious symbolism (in everything from christianity, jewdaism to pagan druidism)

Answer 4

Some of the star that you see on the sky would probably is another solar system. That mean there are hundreds of thousands of solar system out there. The five point is only a drawn star. Not real.

Answer 5

It's just the customary way of graphically symbolizing a star. The Star of David has six points.

Answer 6

well the stars don't have really 5 point. the stars are really round. but since it is far away we see it as five points.

Answer 7

a drawing of a star has 5 points, but a star in the sky has none,i think

Answer 8

Because they symbolize the 5 wounds that Christ got when he died on the Cross. 2 hands, 2 ankles, 1 liver.

Now the Star has been put in Occult worship and made to look like a pentagram or a vetruvian man.

If you wish to know everything about it go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram

Answer 9

because if it didnt have five points it wouldnt be a star

Answer 10

A star can have many points.
They are not confined to just 5 points.

Answer 11

Diferent stars have different numbers of points.