Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe Why are stars different colors?
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Jun 26, 2025 Discover why stars twinkle in a rainbow of colors, with insights into their temperatures and compositions. Enjoy engaging anecdotes about memorable night sky experiences, like witnessing a comet impact on Jupiter. Learn how star colors reveal their ages and implications for potential life on nearby planets. The hosts explore the science behind these dazzling hues, connecting temperature variations to the broader universe. Join a delightful debate on personal star color preferences, making astronomy both fun and accessible.
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Turtle Hatchery Stargazing Anecdote
- Kelly once guarded a leatherback sea turtle hatchery in Costa Rica at 2 a.m., enjoying a stunning, dark night sky with vivid Milky Way views.
- The community used dim red lights to prevent disorienting turtles and reduce light pollution, enhancing stargazing conditions.
How Light and Color Work
- Light consists of photons which are ripples in an electromagnetic field caused by moving electrons.
- Different wiggle frequencies correspond to different photon wavelengths and thus perceived colors.
Color Exists in the Brain
- Color is a brain's interpretation of signals from three types of retinal cones responding to photons.
- Photons themselves have energies but the experience of color exists only in the mind.
