Hank Green Explains Why Stars Twinkle In This Illuminating Episode of SciShow

When you wish upon a star, nothing happens because stars are not aware of their surroundings and cannot grant wishes.

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Contrary to what Inspector Javert might believe, stars don’t fill the darkness with order and light because they are the sentinels of the sky. They actually do it because of this thing called science. Though we bet Javert would appreciate a lot of things about science, too. It’s very neat and orderly sometimes.

Of course, sometimes it isn’t, which is why Hank Green is here to explain exactly why it is that stars appear to move in the sky sometimes. Spoiler alert! They don’t: it’s the Earth’s atmosphere that’s making it look that way. Ten points to Javert for that whole thing about stars knowing their place in the sky. Guess he was right about that part.

(via Laughing Squid)

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