What is the key observational characteristic used to differentiate Venus from a true star, assuming the observer cannot resolve a visible disk?
Answer
Venus's light appears steadier and does not typically display the twinkling effect.
Even without magnification, the way light interacts with the atmosphere reveals whether the source is a star or a planet. Stars, due to their extreme distance, present as pinpoint sources, making their light highly susceptible to refraction by atmospheric turbulence, which manifests as twinkling. Planets like Venus are much closer, appearing as small disks, which means the light passing through the atmosphere is less affected by localized turbulence over the small viewing area, resulting in a steady, unwavering glow that is a reliable characteristic confirming planetary identification.
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