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From: claus@inuxd.UUCP (David Claus)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re: Twinkle, twinkle little star...
Message-ID: <777@inuxd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Jun-85 11:48:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: inuxd.777
Posted: Fri Jun 28 11:48:30 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 03:18:50 EDT
References: <516@hoxna.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis
Lines: 14

> The twinkling effect on light from stars and not from planets is because the
> stars are so distant that they are a point-source of light. That is, due to
> the stars great distance from us, the straight narrow beams of light emitted
> outwardly in all directions from their surfaces are so sparse by the time
> they reach us that our eyes receive a beam of light one photon wide.

I have a question about this.  If the beams are so sparse by the time they
reach us how are we able to see the star at all.  I guess what I'm saying
is that even if we build a telescope the size of the Earth, there will still
be stars that we cannot see because the photon ouptut in our direction is
not dense enough by the time it reaches us.  Is this correct?

Dave Claus
AT&T/Indy