Konek Pinoy: A Place where Everybody Cares!
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.



 
HomePortal**GalleryLatest imagesSearchRegisterLog in

 

 Why do the stars twinkle?

Go down 
AuthorMessage
elyn
Ilaw ng Konek
 Ilaw ng Konek
elyn


Gender : Female
Date Joined : 2009-02-17
Reputation : 32

Why do the stars twinkle? Empty
PostSubject: Why do the stars twinkle?   Why do the stars twinkle? Icon_minitimeThu Feb 26 2009, 11:37

Why do the stars twinkle?
Stars

Stars twinkle for the same reason that the air shimmies above a radiator or a fire or hot pavement; because of warm air rising in the atmosphere.

Heat can move in one of three ways. The first is conductance (kun-DIK-tenss). In conductance, the heat passes trough something solid, such as wood or metal. This process is pretty slow.

Another way heat moves is radiation. In radiation, the heat passes directly through space in the form of photons, tiny packets of energy travelling at the speed of light. Radiation is the way that the sun's warmth reaches Earth.

Finally there's convection. In convection, heat warms the air. The warm air becomes less dense (and thus lighter) than the cool air around it, so it rises. Convection is the reason stars twinkle.

When air heated by convection rises, it tumbles and swirls. When light passes from the cool, dense air through the warm swirling, not-so-dense air and back again, it gets bent this way and that. That's why the air shimmies over a fire or a radiator.

As air warmed by the earth rises through the atmosphere, it breaks into bubbles of warm air. As light from the stars passes through the bubbles, it's bent back and forth. This is what makes the stars seem to twinkle.

If there weren't any atmosphere, as on the moon, the stars would shine steadily.
Back to top Go down
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-and-Emotions/133316206720969
 
Why do the stars twinkle?
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» What are falling stars?

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Konek Pinoy: A Place where Everybody Cares! :: INFORMATIVE :: Facts and Trivias-
Jump to: