2007-02-02 01:34:13 · 7 answers · asked by bad boy 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
A better question would be, "why do we consider star shape to be pointy when stars are round". Due to imperfections in our eyes, people see bright, small spots of light with false spikes or streamers coming from them. But it is a limitation of the eye, they aren't really that shape.
2007-02-02 01:43:30 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The word 'star' comes from Indo-European roots before 900AD. It is loosely used to define a heavenly body (including twinkle) that is seen when viewed through the earth's atmosphere. Trace the twinkle, glow, or aura of a star and it looks a lot like a "star shape".
2007-02-02 02:58:27 · answer #2 · answered by tenaza 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the pointy star shape comes from the Egyptian hieroglyph "seba" which was used to represent stars in a religious context (it looks like a starfish). I don't think it was intended to be an accurate picture though - they also used circles and dots in their star charts.
2007-02-02 04:38:46 · answer #3 · answered by Iridflare 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
human beings called those lights in the night sky "stars" long before they tried to draw pictures of them. therefore, those lights in the night sky have always been star shaped but our attempts to draw what they look like are not always star shaped.
2007-02-02 01:44:58 · answer #4 · answered by michaell 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that pineapples are called what they're called even though they don't come off pine trees and they're not apples. It's just a name that stuck.
2007-02-02 01:39:27 · answer #5 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are..
Stars are round...
2007-02-02 03:00:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its an acronym for shiney thermonuclear active radiating stuff.
2007-02-02 04:35:33 · answer #7 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋