astronomical seeing

Astronomical seeing refers to how clearly we can observe celestial objects through telescopes, primarily influenced by Earth’s atmosphere. Factors like temperature, wind, and humidity cause air to shift and distort light from stars and planets, leading to blurry images. On nights with good seeing, stars appear sharper and steadier, allowing astronomers to gather more detail. Conversely, poor seeing results in twinkling, unfocused images. This phenomenon is crucial for astronomers, as it affects the quality of observations and the resolution of images captured from telescopes, whether on the ground or in space.