Why Do Streetlights Look Like Starbursts at Night? | RapidSmartFacts

At night, streetlights often appear with glowing “ spikes” or starbursts. Ever wondered why

this happens? Your eyes, and anything in front of them, are not perfect

lenses. When bright light hits these imperfections, it can spread, forming patterns.

Tiny scratches on glasses, dust on lenses, or fine lines in the cornea

all contribute. Diffraction, light bending around small structures, also plays a

role. Eyelashes or a slightly irregular tear film can add extra “ rays” to

the pattern. People with uncorrected astigmatism often notice stronger starbursts. Cameras show similar

spikes when light passes through their lens opening edges. That’s why some photos have neat,