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weathercat4 t1_j8fhg07 wrote

Reply to comment by Andyman0110 in I saw something in the sky last night. help with ID? by Andyman0110

That's called scintillation, it's cause by turbulence in the atmosphere refracting the light around. It's mostly noticable on bright objects near the horizon because you are looking through more atmosphere.

The apparent zipping around you described is another interesting illusion.

https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/autokinetic-effect-2.php

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Andyman0110 OP t1_j8fjv49 wrote

Very cool. The brain doesn't waste any opportunity to trick you lol. This is exactly what I saw, in clockwise circles too.

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