Wonderful whys · 45/50 · Ages 8–10
Are the stars winking?
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Fox imagines the stars playing a blinking game. Their light passes through Earth’s moving air, which changes the path of the light we see.
What you will discover
- Earth’s atmosphere bends starlight as the air changes.
- This can make a distant star seem to twinkle from the ground.
English vocabulary
- star
- ngôi sao
- twinkle
- nhấp nháy
Let’s play
What mainly causes the twinkling we see from Earth?
- Stars blinking like eyes
- Changing air in Earth’s atmosphere
- Someone pressing a keyboard
See the explanation
Moving layers of air bend the light in changing ways.
Practise touch typing
Place your hands on F and J and type this sentence using ten fingers.
Moving air can make stars seem to twinkle.
Two little quiz questions
1. Does twinkling mean a star turns off every second?
- No
- Yes
- Only in winter
Answer and explanation
No. The apparent change often comes from the atmosphere between us and the star.
2. Which surrounds Earth and affects this view?
- The atmosphere
- A glass computer screen
- A scarf
Answer and explanation
The atmosphere. Earth’s air affects the path of starlight.
Read more with an adult: NASA: Why stars twinkle