universetoday.com
Sirius, UFO trickster extraordinaire
Brightest star Sirius in Canis Major, at magnitude -1.5, can appear to move and emit colored light due to atmospheric turbulence that refracts light into many tiny images and near-horizon refraction that creates rainbow sparkles, while planets don’t twinkle as much because they are extended disks and the combination of brightness and Earth's rotation can make it seem to drift; a shaky handheld video of a supposed UFO is often explained by autofocus struggles on Sirius as the disk morphs, even as exoplanets rise to 1,779 confirmed and the vast distances (and possibly disinterest among intelligent life) temper the odds of alien visitors, underscoring how knowledge deepens wonder by revealing atmospheric effects and geometry and inviting enjoyment of the night sky while keeping one eye on the possibilities of life elsewhere.
