Weather Watch: Thank Your Lucky Stars

“Twinkle Twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.” We know the song, and we know the words, but the song obviously doesn’t explain why the stars twinkle or what they really even are.

The heavens, constellations and celestial bodies have been hovering above us since the universe was created. I wasn’t there, but that’s what I hear! While the nighttime sky holds an allure with astronomers both professional and amateur, most of us really don’t pay attention unless a major celestial event takes place like a meteor shower or eclipse.

One reason why the night sky is often not as vibrant or noticeable has to do with weather.

Late spring and summer weather usually bring strong areas of high pressure that can sit over an area for days, bringing a very stagnant atmosphere. This type of weather tends to trap air pollutants and dust particles in the lower atmosphere making the stars harder to see. In winter, cold heavy air along with more stable cold temperatures tend to cause clearing skies and stars are much easier to see.

It’s also our atmosphere that makes the stars twinkle. The stars are really not twinkling, but looking though miles and miles of atmosphere bends the light as we see it, causing a flicker effect.

Another atmospheric condition causes a little known phenomenon. Have you ever noticed the red-orange glow of sunrises and sunsets? Have you ever wondered why the sun quickly turns to a yellow-white light as it rises over head? Again, when you are looking at sunrise or sunset, you are looking horizontally though much more atmosphere than when looking overhead. The atmosphere and its trapped pollutants bend the light and colors it red.

Constellations of star formations are also fun to look for. As a child, the Little and Big Dippers were the ones I heard about the most and are among the easiest formations to find. I also look for the Dippers although my wintertime favorite is by far Orion the Hunter. The ancient warrior archer is very easy to spot in the winter sky as it moves from east to west from November to April.

The closest observable star is Sol. You may know it as the Sun. Although it is about 93 million miles away from Earth, there are billions of stars in the galaxy just like our Sun. If that doesn’t make you take pause, consider this: every star you see in the night sky is bigger and brighter than the Sun! It may be mind-boggling, but it is true. Those stars are so far away it’s almost unfathomable. It would take another article entirely to dig into the distances of space, so I’ll just let that fun fact marinate.

On a similar note, the phrase
“count your lucky stars” obviously refers to being lucky and being thankful. According to the Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, “The stars were said by the old astrologers to have an almost omnipotent influence on the lives and destinies of man and to this belief is due a number of phrases such as: bless my stars; you may thank your lucky stars.”

So next time you are under the Milky Way, look up and be thankful for the show. It’s been around a long time and is still spectacular.