Stellar scintillation is the twinkling effect observed in stars when their light passes through Earth's atmosphere. As light travels from a star to an observer, it encounters varying air densities and temperatures, which cause the light to bend or refract. This bending results in the star appearing to change brightness and position slightly over time. This phenomenon is more pronounced for stars than for planets because stars are so far away that they appear as point sources of light. In contrast, planets are closer and can appear as small disks, making them less affected by atmospheric disturbances.