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This is called refraction and it is due to the bending of the ray of light from the star as it enters the atmosphere which has a changing refractive index at different heights.

This effect occurs at all heights (angles) but is more noticeable close to the horizon and it alters the time of sunrise and sunset by a few minutes.

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What causes the stars in the sky to appear to be moving?

The Earth's rotation. The relation between the Earth (or a person on the Earth) and the position of the stars makes it appear that the stars are in a different position as the night progresses.


Why the stars are not exactly at the same position where you see?

The stars appear to be in slightly different positions than where they actually are due to the phenomenon known as atmospheric refraction. As starlight passes through Earth's atmosphere, it is bent or refracted, causing the stars to appear higher in the sky than their true positions. Additionally, the immense distances involved mean that we are seeing the light that left the stars many years ago, making their apparent positions subject to changes over time. Lastly, the Earth's motion, including its rotation and orbit, also contributes to the perceived shift in a star's position.


Why do all stars appear to move except the pole star?

All stars appear to move due to Earth's rotation, but the Pole Star, also known as Polaris, remains in a relatively fixed position in the sky because it is located almost directly above Earth's North Pole. This causes it to appear stationary as other stars appear to rotate around it.


Are the stars visible 7 pm still visible at 11 pm in their original position why do you see so?

Yes, relative to more distant stars, their position will not have changed. See should be changed to stay in the question.


What is the actual amount of light a star gives off?

It is actually absolute magnitude, opposed to apparent magnitude which is how much light stars appear to give off.

Related Questions

Why do stars appear higher than the actual position?

Except during atmospheric conditions that are quite rare (sub-refraction, or negative refractivity gradient versus altitude), light ... as well as radio and other electromagnetic radiation ... generally bends downward on its way through air. So, when the light beam from the star reaches your eye, it's arriving from a direction that is slightly above the actual direction from the star, and the effect is that the star appears to be higher than it really is. If, instead of from a star, the light had started out from a palm tree, a pool of water, and a couple of camels, and had bent significantly downward on its way through the air, it would arrive at your eye from a direction significantly above the horizon, and you would see the mirage of an oasis in the sky.


Why do the stars appear to rotate around Polaris?

It's an illusion caused by the actual rotation of the earth.


What is warm air near Earth's surface sometimes bends light rays to cause an effect called?

The effect is called "atmospheric refraction." It occurs when light rays passing through air at different temperatures are bent, causing objects to appear shifted from their actual position. This is why stars and the Sun can appear slightly higher in the sky than they actually are when near the horizon.


Why some stars appear bigger and brighter than others?

A stars brightness depends on two factors; its distance from us and its actual brightness (absolute magnitude). The actual brightness of a star depends on various factors, such as its mass, its temperature and its age.Consider two stars of the same actual brightness (absolute magnitude) - if one of them is much closer, then is will be brighter than the further one. It will appear brighter, even though it would be the same side by side - it can be said to be apparently brighter (higher apparent magnitude) due to its distance.A:They appear bigger and brighter because they really are bigger and brighter, but even if they are not bigger and brighter it could be because they are closer.


Why do some stars appear bigger and brighter than others?

A stars brightness depends on two factors; its distance from us and its actual brightness (absolute magnitude). The actual brightness of a star depends on various factors, such as its mass, its temperature and its age.Consider two stars of the same actual brightness (absolute magnitude) - if one of them is much closer, then is will be brighter than the further one. It will appear brighter, even though it would be the same side by side - it can be said to be apparently brighter (higher apparent magnitude) due to its distance.A:They appear bigger and brighter because they really are bigger and brighter, but even if they are not bigger and brighter it could be because they are closer.


What causes the stars in the sky to appear to be moving?

The Earth's rotation. The relation between the Earth (or a person on the Earth) and the position of the stars makes it appear that the stars are in a different position as the night progresses.


When esimating the distance of the stars from earth astronomers use the fact that nearby stars shift in position as observed from earth which is called?

Nearby stars appear to change their position against the distant background in an annual cycle, because of the Earth's changing position 'across' its orbit. This apparent shift is called the star's "parallax".


Why do stars appear to shift position as you observe them one month and then again on the same date the next month?

the earth is rotating and revolving, so they are appear in different places


It cause stars to move apparently in one night?

The rotation of the Earth makes the stars appear to move in a circle, as viewed from the observer's position. The stars are always there, it is just that we can't see them during daylight.


Why do all stars appear to move except the pole star?

All stars appear to move due to Earth's rotation, but the Pole Star, also known as Polaris, remains in a relatively fixed position in the sky because it is located almost directly above Earth's North Pole. This causes it to appear stationary as other stars appear to rotate around it.


Why do stars appear distant if you supposedly only see the light that they emit?

All sight its based on the light that objects either emit, reflect, or refract. The stars are little different in this regard. We judge distance using a number of different cues, a number of which indicate that the stars are far away.More distant objects will tend to appear smaller. The stars appear small.Any object that blocks a portion of the sky will block the stars from view, so we know the stars are more distant than those objects.When we move, objects we are looking at appear to change position relative to us. The farther away they are, the smaller the change. No matter how much we move there is no apparent change in the position of the stars, meaning they must be very far away.Indeed, the stars are much farther away than they appear to be as we are not able to perceive such distances directly.


Are the stars visible 7 pm still visible at 11 pm in their original position why do you see so?

Yes, relative to more distant stars, their position will not have changed. See should be changed to stay in the question.