What is atmospheric refraction? Use this phenomenon to explain the following natural events. a) twinkling of stars. b) advanced sun-rise and delayed sun-dried. Draw diagram to illustrate your answers.
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The twinkling of a star is due to atmospheric refraction of the light rays coming from the star . The distance between a star and the earth is of many lightyears, so its light has to travel through many layers of the atmosphere in order to reach Earth. The density of the layers of the atmosphere varies, - density of the layers increases towards the Earth's surface causing refraction of the star's light each time it travels to a layer whose density differs. A ray of light travelling from outer space bends continuously(towards the normal) after it enters the dense atmosphere of the Earth. The continuously changing atmospheric density refracts the light from stars by varying amounts and in different directions from one moment to the next. This causes the amount of starlight reaching our eyes to constantly fluctuate,( it decreases and increases alternately) making it look as though the star is twinkling. However the star does not actually twinkle or shift from its original position.
The twinkling of a star is due to atmospheric refraction of the light rays coming from the star . The distance between a star and the earth is of many lightyears, so its light has to travel through many layers of the atmosphere in order to reach Earth. The density of the layers of the atmosphere varies, - density of the layers increases towards the Earth's surface causing refraction of the star's light each time it travels to a layer whose density differs. A ray of light travelling from outer space bends continuously(towards the normal) after it enters the dense atmosphere of the Earth. The continuously changing atmospheric density refracts the light from stars by varying amounts and in different directions from one moment to the next. This causes the amount of starlight reaching our eyes to constantly fluctuate,( it decreases and increases alternately) making it look as though the star is twinkling. However the star does not actually twinkle or shift from its original position.
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