Spiky things around Sirius

[arcadian]

Glanced up at Sirius tonight (quite clear) and for some reason the spiky lines that sometimes appear to emanate from some stars were really bright. There was a really long bright one coming out of the top of the star. What are they called and why do we think we see them?

 

[Pooua]

I was always told that it is astigmatism.

 

[pirated]

some kind of mushrooms?....<br /><br />sorry just kidding!<br /><img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

If you rotate your head, you will find that the spikes rotate as well. They arise from uncorrected cylindrical and prismatic aberrations in the lens in your eyes.<br /><br />ed: deviation changed to aberration <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[commander_khashoggi]

Woah!!<img src="/images/icons/shocked.gif" /><br />I never knew that! Amazing.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font size="3"><font color="#339966">"<strong>If it's planned,</strong></font> <font color="#808080"><u>it's boring.</u>"</font><font color="#ff9900"> </font><font color="#ffcc33"><strong>- <em>Freddie Mercury</em></strong></font></font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Either that, or it's diffraction spikes from the spider-vanes holding your eyeballs...<br /><br />[inside astrophotography reference...] <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[docm]

In my case it's long term low-level radiation exposure that caused mild corneal rim cracking <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /><br /><br />Not enough to bother with now, but in 10 or so years..... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>