Why can't we see stars in the city?
City lights glow so bright that they hide the faint little stars.
Pip’s answer
- City lights glow so bright that they hide the faint little stars.
- The light bounces around in the air and makes the sky look gray.
- Far away in the dark countryside, the stars are easy to see.
- Wow-ee, on a dark night you can see thousands of twinkling stars!
For grown-ups
Street lights, buildings and signs send light upward, where the air scatters it and makes the night sky glow. This light pollution drowns out fainter stars. In very dark places, people can see thousands of stars and even the band of the Milky Way.
Ask your child: Can we find the darkest spot near home to look for stars?
More questions kids ask
- ⭐Why do stars only come out at night?
- ⭐Why do stars twinkle?
- 🌌Why is space dark?
- 🌙Why does it get dark at night?
- 🌓Why does the moon change shape?
- 🌕Why doesn’t the moon fall down?
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