What causes the rapid bending of a star's light path resulting in Scintillation?
Answer
Turbulent layers of air in Earth's atmosphere.
Scintillation, the phenomenon commonly described as twinkling, arises entirely from the terrestrial environment above the observer. The Earth's atmosphere is not uniform; it consists of multiple turbulent layers containing pockets of air that vary constantly in temperature and density. As a light ray from a star passes through these shifting atmospheric lenses, its path bends slightly and rapidly multiple times per second, causing the star's perceived brightness and position to fluctuate quickly.
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