What is the primary phenomenon responsible for a star seemingly flashing or winking in the night sky?
Answer
Astronomical scintillation
The visual effect where a bright pinpoint of light appears to shimmer, change color, or blink rapidly is called astronomical scintillation, commonly known as twinkling.
Related Questions
What is the primary phenomenon responsible for a star seemingly flashing or winking in the night sky?What structural element of Earth causes the disruption leading to stellar twinkling?Why do objects appear to twinkle much more intensely when they are low on the horizon?What causes the temporary color separation seen when a star flashes red, blue, or green?How does the light from a planet contrast with the light from a distant star regarding twinkling?What is the approximate distance of the star Sirius from Earth, as stated in the text?When starlight travels through turbulent layers, what happens to the light path?If an observer sees a bright object that is not twinkling, what is the likely identity of that object?What practical consequence does intense twinkling have for astrophotography?Which types of wavelengths are scattered or bent more easily by the atmosphere?