Variable stars are stars that change their brightness over time.

This change can happen for many reasons.

Understanding why these stars vary in brightness is important for astronomers.

One reason variable stars change brightness is due to starquakes.

Starquakes are like little explosions inside a star that release bursts of energy.

This energy can cause the star to shine more brightly for a while.

Another reason for brightness change is the presence of gas and dust clouds in space.

These clouds can block some of the star's light.

When the light is partially hidden, the star appears dimmer from Earth.

Variable stars can also change brightness because of the interaction between two stars that orbit each other.

As one star passes in front of the other, it can block the light.

This causes the brightness seen from Earth to change, like a game of peek-a-boo.

Lastly, as stars age, they go through different stages of life.

Older stars may grow larger or smaller, which can also cause changes in how bright they appear.

Did you know?

Some variable stars can brighten and dim in a few hours, while others may take years to show any change! You could spot a variable star by looking for one that doesn’t shine steadily.

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