It seemed to me that all the stars towards the southern hemisphere were flickering more than usuall the last couple of nights and was wondering what causes them to flicker in the first place.
2007-06-22 22:40:46 · 9 answers · asked by ? 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The air currents in the atmosphere cause density diffierences thus causing the light beams to refract and thus the light reaching you appears to be flickering.
2007-06-22 22:46:21 · answer #1 · answered by Swamy 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The reason the stars look like they are flickering, is do to the atmosphere around the earth, when you straight up through the atmosphere, you are looking trough through about eighty miles of atmosphere, bit when you look south, are away from where you are located, you are looking through much more atmosphere, that is why the stars to the south flicker more.
It's the movement of the air that makes the stars look like they are flickering, in space the stars will glow with a steady light.
2007-06-23 08:13:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As stated previously, the flickering is caused by an unstable atmosphere.
While most people look at the twinkling stars and find them pretty or even romantic, Astronomers groan when we see them. Because it means that the atmosphere is too unstable to do any serious observing. We usually just pack up and wait for a better night.
Adolph
2007-06-23 07:40:45 · answer #3 · answered by Adolph K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The flickering of the stars are mainly due to the dust particles in the atmosphere. Due to the continous movement of the dust particle the stars seem to be flickering...
So next if you look at the sky think that its not the the star is star shaped but the distance and the dust in the atmosphere make you feel like it.
2007-06-23 05:46:22 · answer #4 · answered by anish 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Twinkling of stars—called “scintillation” by astronomers—is caused by moving air currents in the atmosphere. The beam of light from a star passes through many regions of moving air while on its way to an observer’s eye or telescope. Each atmospheric region distorts the light slightly for a fraction of a second.
“The total result of a great number of momentary small distortions is the twinkling that we see,” Teske explains. “Although these atmospheric motions are present all the time, they are especially noticeable on cold winter nights.”
2007-06-23 05:51:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
??? The flamble gasses that exist !?! & or the non stable properties which is mostly gas'e-ous!?! or even flamable!?! qualities are always moving because of the instability of it`s properties!! There`fore the gasses are always moving !?! making the flames to seem flickering !! much like when watching a volcano erupt or gass in a can burning!?! "R"`r,r'r.r`r,'->
2007-06-23 05:58:00 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
simply put our atmosphere make the stars flicker hence the need for a orbital telescope.
2007-06-23 05:51:17 · answer #7 · answered by mousehth72 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The batteries are getting low on power.
2007-06-23 17:07:11 · answer #8 · answered by butterscotch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they flicker due to refraction
2007-06-23 07:42:29 · answer #9 · answered by Somya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋