why planets do not twinkle
why planets do not twinkle Planets do not twinkle in the night sky as stars do because they are much closer to Earth and appear as small, bright disks instead of points of light. When starlight passes through the Earth's atmosphere, it encounters pockets of air with varying temperatures and densities, causing the light to refract, or bend, in different directions. This causes the light to appear to twinkle or scintillate, as the star's position and brightness fluctuate rapidly. However, since planets are much closer to Earth, the light they emit or reflect is not subject to the same atmospheric effects that cause stars to twinkle. Instead, they appear as steady, unwavering points of light or small, bright disks, depending on the power of the telescope or binoculars used to observe them.