Why Do Stars Twinkle?

5 Oct, 2025

Credit: Pexels

Stars are extremely distant, so their light reaches us as a very narrow, single ray, much like a tiny point of light. 

Credit: Scientific American

Point Source

Earth's atmosphere isn't uniform; it's a chaotic mix of layers with varying temperatures and densities, affected by winds and turbulence. 

Credit: Nature

Turbulent Atmosphere

When starlight enters our atmosphere, it passes through these different layers, causing the light to bend, or refract, multiple times. 

Credit: Stock Cake

Light Bending (Refraction)

The constant movement and changing conditions in the atmosphere cause starlight to flicker, making stars appear to brighten and dim, or "twinkle."

Credit: Stock Cake

Flickering Brightness