General Knowledge - Physics - Discussion

Discussion Forum : Physics - Section 1 (Q.No. 12)
12.
Planets do not twinkle because
they emit light of a constant intensity
their distance from the earth does not change with time
they are very far away from the earth resulting in decrease in intensity of light
they are nearer to earth and hence we receive a greater amount of light and, therefore minor variations in the intensity are not noticeable
Answer: Option
Explanation:
No answer description is available. Let's discuss.
Discussion:
25 comments Page 1 of 3.

Steve said:   1 decade ago
Planets don't twinkle (so much) because unlike distant stars, they are not "point sources" of light. A star is like a single pixel, and the atmosphere can distort the light of that pixel easily.

A planet is like 100's or even more pixels, so the distortion of a few of those pixels is too slight to notice. Sirius is brighter than most planets, and yet twinkles. So the "more light" explanation doesn't hold up.

Zain said:   1 decade ago
Does our star, i.e.; sun twinkles? off course it does not appear to be. That's because it is very near to earth relative to other stars and hence a greater amount of light reached does not allow varying intensity so it does not twinkle. So far as I think logically, there is a close relation of twinkling with distance and thereby varying intensity. Tell me if I'm wrong. :-).

Tushar said:   1 decade ago
Planets do not emit light. Actually, planets are nearer to us. That is why, we can considered it as a collection of large point size objects.

The dimming effect produced by some of the point source of light in one part of the planet is nullified by the brighter effect produced by the same. So, overall the brightness of the planet remains constant. That is why the planet.

Dinesh sharma said:   1 decade ago
Stars closer to the horizon appear to twinkle more than stars that are overhead - this is because the light of stars near the horizon has to travel through more air than the light of stars overhead and so is subject to more refraction. Also, planets do not usually twinkle, because they are so close to us; they appear big enough that the twinkling is not noticeable

Chris B said:   10 years ago
The planets are much closer to the earth and are seen as extended sources. If we consider a planet as a collection of a large number of point sized sources of light, the total variation in the amount of light entering our eye from all the individual point sources will average out to zero. Thus nullifying the twinkling effect.

Ojum o hope said:   1 decade ago
Stars twinkle because they're so far away from Earth that, even through large telescopes, they appear only as pinpoints. And it's easy for Earth's atmosphere to disturb the pinpoint light of a star. Thus the stars twinkle. That is to say that planet do not twinkle, because they are nearer to earth.

Kamaraj M said:   1 decade ago
I am not agree with above all answers. The basic difference between stars and planets is. A star has its own light (Our SUN also one of the star). But a planet has no light of its own. It shines by reflecting the light of the sun.

Sugi said:   1 decade ago
Planets have no light. It just reflect light. Move Over, the Planets are closer to us. Stars have some tiny dust particulars so that it looks like twinkle. Stars are more far away from us.

Ishan Rana said:   1 decade ago
Meaningless options are there remember one thing that planets never twinkle they only take light of sun to looking like twinkle just like venus its simple way to understand you.

Sai manoj said:   8 years ago
Planets are not like a star. Every star is having their own light so they are twinkle but not like to twinkle because they near to earth so they are not noticeable the light.


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