Stars are celestial bodies that make up the galaxy, with different masses, sizes and temperatures. They are objects of great curiosity for human beings, who try to carry out identification and counting, in addition to naming some constellations. For thousands of years researchers have been conducting studies on the characteristics of celestial bodies, and one of the questions clarified is why the stars blink.
The luminosity of stars is a consequence of the various thermonuclear reactions triggered inside the stars, making their centers hot and dense. This process, caused by the force of gravity, is responsible for a great release of energy, making with the star being seen as a point of light, often with a brightness that appears to be flashing.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
But, after all, do the stars blink? The answer is no. The impression we have that stars blink is caused by the great distance that stellar radiation travels to the observer point (the farther away, the lower the brightness), in addition to optical distortions caused by turbulence terrestrial.
Therefore, these factors mentioned above are mainly responsible for interfering with the collection of energy emitted by a star, giving the false sensation that they are blinking.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira and. "Stars blink"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/estrelas-piscam.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
