• Question: Why do stars twinkle?

    Asked by yooda to Bob, Katie, Nisha, Sallie, Vee on 27 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Sallie Baxendale

      Sallie Baxendale answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      Stars twinkle because the light coming from them, to us, has to pass through lots of different substances, not least the particles in our atmosphere, before the light hits our eyes.

    • Photo: Bob Bonwick

      Bob Bonwick answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      Stellar sintillation is its scientific name. But as Sallie said, it’s due to the light passing through our atmosphere getting distorted as it goes.

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